A Behind-the-Scenes Look at What Happens When Wildlife Meets an Oil Spill

In the 2007 Cosco Busan oil spill that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, 31 species of oiled and traumatized birds were rescued and taken to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network's 12,000-square-foot center in Fairfield, where veterinarians and trained volunteers cleaned and rehabilitated the birds, eventually saving and releasing 38.5 percent of them back to the wild. Three OWCN staff members will describe the entire process of saving oiled wildlife, from organizing and training volunteers, to collecting and transferring injured animals to care facilities, to treating and rehabilitating them. You will also find out what it takes to be a volunteer in this life-saving organization! The OWCN, a world leader in oiled wildlife response, comprises 29 member organizations and 12 facilities in California, including scientific and nonprofit organizations, world-class aquariums, and rehabilitation groups. It is administered by UC Davis Wildlife Health Center within the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Speakers: Becky Elias, Emily Whitmer, and Kyra Mills-Parker