Oil Spill Photo Gallery: Louisiana Biologists Rescue an Oiled Pelican
05/26/2010
Gretna, LA
9:13am
Yesterday we rode along with the Lousiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in their search for oiled birds. They discovered and rescued a Brown Pelican on a small, unnamed island in the Barataria Bay.
On our way to the islands, we rode through a rain storm that produced a water spout, then a rainbow. The biologists wondered if it might signal hope. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
The biologists discovered an oiled pelican on the island. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
The pelican was also tangled in fishing line and had to be cut free. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
The pelican is cut free of the fishing line. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
Biologists Jeff Taverner and Keith Cascio return to the Fisheries boat with the rescued pelican. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
The pelican was placed in a box and transported to the oiled wildlife rehabilitation center in Fort Jackson, LA. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
Before heading to the rehabilitation center, the biologists scanned the shore again for additional oiled birds. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
Pelicans could remain at the breeding colony through August. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
The hard boom around the pelican island. Photo by Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine
cardboard box? really?
i am very glad this bird was caught and brought into care. but really,
one of the richest corporations ever seen on the planet caused this catastrophe and the victims are being transported in cardboard boxes?!? i thought this was an all-hands-on-deck response.
oh come on!
oh come on. are u really going to get upset about a card board box? those people are doing a fabulous thing by attempting to save animals lives and u feel the need to complain because they put the bird in a card board box? b grateful that that birds life may be saved by those rescue efforts. stop finding things to complain about and find the good things that people are doing. have you made an effort to help in any way?
Cardboard boxes are a very
Cardboard boxes are a very safe way & ideal way to transport birds as they protect the feathers from being damaged by the open grating and wires on pet carriers. They also keep the bird dark which reduces stress (and these poor birds have had enough just by being caught). I would also imagine that if they used carriers, each one would have to be decontaminated after each transport or thrown away.
I am just thankful they are able to catch some of these poor birds and get them cleaned up! Good job to all involved!
You're an idiot
Go do some research, or even better - become a vet. Birds (majority) are trasported in cardboard boxes to prevent futher harm to themselves, i.e. getting caught in carrier wires and also being in a dark place lowers the anxiety in a bird, which causes them less stress.
Before you start complaining about something idiotic, such as a box, do a little research first and secondly as everyone else has said on this page - get off your duff and go help yourself if it's not satisfactory to you. You'll learn quickly by being on site that what they are doing is the CORRECT method.
Thank you for telling those
Thank you for telling those people that a cardboard box is the best way to move an injured or sick bird. I was getting ready to tell them myself. They need to worry more about the help these animals need, rather thatn run their mouths about the box. Thanks again...
Having worked in wildlife
Having worked in wildlife rescue a considerable length of time I can testify that when you are winging it on your own, working on low to no budget, you improvise whatever you need and if it gets the job done, all's the better. The point made above, I believe, is about the resources that are available and not being used. There are significantly better devices to get injured wildlife from the field to a clinic than a cardboard box. Of course everyone who rescues animals has used cardboard boxes, but not because we had access to something better. Airline pet carriers, as an example can be broken down, easily transported, and carted on a boat. They don't get soggy and fall apart. They have handles. Most wildlife care facilities have many. And clearly BP can afford them.
And who knows, maybe this bird was transferred to something better once reaching land. In any case, suggestions to improve care shouldn't be met with derision. That's poisonous.
WTF a BOX?
I'd hate to have to suffer the heat and fumes in cardboard friggin box.
R U Kidden you have the
R U Kidden you have the nerve to say such a thing, when all your doing is sitting at your computer, these people are risking there own health by going out there to look for wildlife in need of saving. Come on people get a life be possitive not critical.
Why don't you take your own
Why don't you take your own advice?
i would rather be
i would rather be uncomfortable from the heat and fumes then die a slow death caused by someone else's ignorance
picking up birds
A comment to cardboard box. I personally don't care if it's a cardboard box they are transported in, as long as they get the wildlife safe from the oil. It's hard to clean up when they haven't capped it yet and keeps spilling more oil. Not only are they causing shortages in our own food supply, but they are endangering wildlife and sea life and it will be years before it's back to normal, if ever! It's disgraceful that money was the bottom line and they cut safety corners and endangered people and animals way of life! Not how they are transported...get a grip on reality!
Thank You.
Thank You.
Give them a BREAK!
They are doing all they can and the most important thing is that these birds will be revived and put back into nature and hopefully live out there lives....UNLESS Man Kind screws up AGAIN!! I think a card board box is irrelavent in this case!!!!
No Ventilation
There is no ventilation in a card board box...the bird will suffocate on the oil fumes go to the gulf and see what little is being done it is sad volunteers are coming from all over the US and working like crazy while ANYBODY from BP is nowhere around. BP rejected the idea of using hair to soak up the oil. Volunteers are out there with donations of hair from salons, dog grooming businesses. al paca breeders and they work until they get so sick and have to get out of the area. The oil causes burns if it comes in contact with skin, it causes cancer and the fumes make you vomit and become dizzy and gives you a headache that meds don't help'. With an estimated 500,000 gallons a DAY of this crude blasting into the ocean for the past month there should be a Massive effort for clean up and it is just not happening. Where is PB? They won't come near this mess!!
saving one bird???
What about all the other birds that are eating contaminated fish... breathing cancer causing fumes and coated with oil???...they will be poisoned and die.I'm glad to see one bird get help but come on....there are thousands if not millions!!!
are you for real. these
are you for real. these people are out there trying to save everything they can and you feel you have the justification to complain. go to hell for being so high and mighty.
Re: Comments already made
I am sure if you really look, that box is way to small to close that big of a bird up in without causing any damage to the bird. I really don't think these rescuers are that stupid to try and rescue the bird only to kill it by closing it up in a way to small box. People are all to willing to attack those who are at least trying...so what are you doing to help with animals that have been effected by the oil spill? Hmm!
box
The larger the box the more room to fall around in during transport. He will only be in the box for a short time. Frightened animals are comforted by small dark places.
ARE U KIDDING?
You might want to get your facts straight before running your mouth about the ones who are actually doing the rescuing!! If it was a large box the bird would be even more scared anf more than likely hurt itself trying to fly around!! Possibly inguring a wing and risking the chance of never being able to fly again!! A smaller box is used to keep it safe and make it feel a little more secure!!
In regards to those opposed
In regards to those opposed to the cardboard box... What are you doing to make a difference? Easy to spout at the mouth, completely different to be marching through the mud and muck. I cannot believe that someone would oppose an organization that is completely devoted to saving these creatures. You should thank them, not critize them.
thank BP? not gonna happen...
thank BP? not gonna happen...
cardboard box
you know... you people have a lot of nerve getting upset about a cardboard box. are you the one that is out there trying to save these animals??? NO, I DIDN'T THINK SO. so give them a break! at least they are doing something about it. you're just sitting at your computer complaining... go do something! make a difference. if you want to see them in something better than a cardboard box then you go and supply something. until you do that, i don't want to hear another thing about it!!
thank you to all the people who are out there volunteering and helping these poor innocent creatures. god bless you!!!!
Thanks to every person that
Thanks to every person that is out there saving hundreds and thousands of oiled animals, Thank you for saving one more bird and my prayers are with you in finding more. The box is the best thing he has experenced in several days I'm sure. Lets all stay focused on the real problems and not the petty ones. Again thanks to all the rescuers and all that are doing the best they can with this stupied man made error. Wish I could be there to help.
Cardboard Box
Well, I am sure that since you are so sensitive about the bird being put in a cardboard box that maybe next time they will carry huge metal cages that weigh down the boat so that it can only make short trips or even get stuck in the sludge BP has sent their way. Did you ever think that the cardboard boxes can be stored easily, take up less space, weigh much less, and give more room for more birds to be saved. On top of that these birds have been poisoned with oil. They are sick and confused. It may not be a good idea to put them in a solid type container that they can fall around in or injure themselves worse. I can't believe you would even say anything about their method of saving the birds life. I would carry that pelican out if I could. Remember these birds are just now off the endangered list and we are losing countless eggs and could see a decline all over again!
Suffering Wildlife
Why can't we all just agree to disagree? There is one thing I see in common with everyone that has commented on the oil spill and that is the effect on the wildlife. So can we please stop all the nasty comments about dumb things. If there was this much effort put into volunteering our services, pertaining to anything to do with the oil spill, just think how much could have been accomplished by now!! BE NICE!!
Thank God for people like
Thank God for people like this. They are giving their time & effort to save these poor birds and other animals that are being effected by man's stupidity......
Obama fault
I heard today that backed by the Obama Administration BP was supported in trying every other possible method than "plugging the hole" so that they might beable to keep the oil flowing. They did not want to loose the money that they would have gained by keeping the well functional. Impact on the coast was not as important as keeping the well functoning. It was only after considerable public outcry that Obama finally gave the word to plug the hole.
Kind of makes my stomach turn.
oil
OMG GREED its a terrible thing.The land,wildlife,fish in the ocean that is whats important.It makes my heart hurt to think of all these creatures dying because oil seems to be more important.We need a alternate source of energy anyway all these smart scientest need to get on it.If something is distroying the enviroment then its time to make changes.Also these greedy fools never bothered to come up with a plan in case something like this happened soooo stupied now here they are trying one thing after another while creatures are drying.
,
Oil damage to wildlife
I agree with you fully about the wildlife dying off. Shame on us all! If we could learn how to not demand so much supply, the greedy oil companies would get more into research for alternative energy.
Anyway, I love the wildlife wholly, but please don't forget the people who work in the marine, and fishing industries. They have no income in the gulf coastal areas, and they have families to feed. Please pray for us all, because this affects all of our economics along the coast.
OILL SPILL FIX IN MORE MONTHS????????
This is a sad day and year, when the greed of Big BP & our cover up Government....Have a knowledge to drill thousands of oil wells, and never took the time for a emergency plan; to cut off, turn off,shut off, your greed for oil. Now your wasting our; Gulf waters, our animals, our homeland, and family generations who fish the Gulf waters....On Judgement Day make sure you use the excuse on the top fill using cement and golf balls wearing a Big Cap Hat!!! May my God think Twice before saving your greedy soul....I understand for 5 months you have used 3 weeks of profit...BP needs to put more money and people 24 / 7 to fix this issue ASAP NOT IN THREE MONTHS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
...and where did you hear
...and where did you hear this???
I heard on NPR radio that
I heard on NPR radio that the well that blew up was just a temporary well and they were losing $500,000 a day trying to drill another one nearby. . . .and so they may have skimped on their due diligence in this one.
DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU
DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR! AND ALSO DO NOT JUDGE UNTIL YOU HAVE WALKED IN THAT PERSONS SHOES, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH SOOO MANY AMERICANS WIHICH ENJOY STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY INSTEAD OF SUGGESTING A RESOLUTION.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU
DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU READ OR HEARD THIS? INTERESTING!
Not Obamas fault
Just because you heard such a thing does not make it true, as Beck and Limbaugh say things about Obama every day that is not true, so don't automatically believe what you just hear. You may have heard a great big lie!
Thanks to Greenpeace and all
Thanks to Greenpeace and all that are helping to rescue the wildlife. It is 2012 for the marine life and birds of the Gulf thanks the lack of regulation and greed. Shame on all of them. Shame on us for our dependency on their oil.
The cardboard box is fine,
The cardboard box is fine, my problem is that they're carrying the pelican with its beak closed. Pelicans breathe through their mouths. When you carry then, you need to keep one finger between the upper and lower beak so they can still breathe. You would think wildlife rescuers would know that.
Why don't you make the
Why don't you make the effort to contact them. . .don't tell US. We didn't tape the bird's mouth shut! Get off your high horse and go make a phone call about it.
If you know so much about
If you know so much about it, why aren't you out there helping. I wouldn't put my finger in a bird's beak either. They don't breathe thru their mouths.
Wow
Seriously? You want to complain about the cardboard box where there are so many other problems? Take a minute and think about this. When you buy a bird from the pet store, how do you transport it home? A cardboard box! There is really no difference between the two things. Cardboard boxes are so much safer than any other thing to transport the bird. Get you head out of your bum long enough to see the good that is being done in those pictures. They are saving that bird's life.
WOW - that poor Pelican NOT
WOW - that poor Pelican NOT only was covered in oil.....but was ALSO caught in fishing line. Now that is 1 lucky bird!
No, a very unlucky bird due
No, a very unlucky bird due to some careless fishing Bubba who was most likely more concerned about his next beer than considering the dangers of leaving fishing line, pieces of net, plastic six pack holders, etc. where the innocent birds could become trapped in them.
Thankful
Im very thankful for the ppl who are rescuing thse poor animals at this time of need. People need to open their eyes and realize a box is something that should definatly not be the topic right now. These poor animals should be, and im so thankful for the ppl who are giving their time up to help them out. Please pray for this tragedy, rather then complain thanks yal :)
have u ever noticed the ones
have u ever noticed the ones doing nothing is always the ones finding fault, its there way of making there self feel better.
y'all are SICK, everyone
y'all are SICK, everyone pointing fingers at the other, sounds like bp and the government arguing back and forth on whos fault it is,
If you are not part of the
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
thank you
thank you
Thank you everyone involved
Thank you everyone involved in rescue efforts and cleanup efforts. We humans affect the whole environment and when we make a mistake we must be responsible and work to fix it. I have carried my pet to the vet in a plastic/metal carrier and a cardboard carrier. My cat prefers the cardboard. Maybe it is the natural material vs. cold metal and plastic, or the fact that it is dark for the frightened animal and less distracting. I am sure the rescue people are doing all they can to make things right for the birds. They would not subject them to more misery... they are there RESCUING them in the first place. Thank God for them!
'Boxed' Birds VS British 'Bull'
Absolutely hilarious... Is everyone really reading this thread and suddenly feeling the need to capitalize on one ignorant person's comment about birds in a box??? I think not... The only people who would logically feel a sudden urge to defend BP against this issue, are those who could not otherwise defend themselves in light of the recent circumstances... neo-conservatives and/or BP employees! OK... us "complainers" admit the boxed birds aren't the biggest issue! So perhaps those who have commented in BP's defense below can reply, instead, to the accusation that BP representatives are threatening to fire employees who use a respirator while cleaning up the spill and dispersant. Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association, has witnessed these threats first hand and reported them to democracynow.org. So please, if you feel the need to defend BP's treatment of birds... don't; just take they're cheques, feed your family, and don't tell your kids how you pay the bills by sacrificing the physical and intellectual integrity of the environment that they will inherit.
cardboard boxes are correct
I have 20 + years working with wildlife and have participated in several oil spill cleanups and washed many birds. Cardboard boxes are the PREFERRED container for a scared, stressed and maybe near death seabird. If cardboard pet carriers are avilable, then use them, but a pelican may not fit into one of those, Pelicans are very large. They need to be in a place that they can feel hidden and safe and their feathers will not be further ruined. People that are too close, scare them, they don't need to be looked at, or be able to see lots of activity around them - it only adds to their considerable stress. And you need to know that too much stress can KILL all by itsef. I would give anything to be there to help this time, but I am now too old. Applaud those that are giving up their time and livlihoods to get this done and don't compain about which you know nothing.