No sea otter or seal has ever been oiled and subsequently cleaned in an oil spill situation. It is possible, however, that a spill could have significant adverse effects on sea otters and fur seals, especially at a rookery during the pupping season. These animals depend on an air blanket trapped in their dense underfur for warmth and buoyancy. Any form of pollutant, especially oil, could penetrate the outer guard hairs and underfur and allow water to reach the skin, with disastrous effects.
Seals and otters are powerful animals, and the larger males and females can be quite aggressive and dangerous. Only professional wildlife specialists and consulting veterinarians should be permitted to handle and treat them. A guide to cleaning and care of oiled sea otters can be found in the California Oil and Hazardous Materials Contingency Plan.
Conclusions
This status report has revealed that substantial efforts and progress have been made in oiled-wildlife research. New techniques being developed are leading to higher survival rates. Preventive measures are being devised to keep birds from entering a spill area. Wild life contingency plans are being developed and materials to handle future emergencies are being stockpiled. Basic research is being continued on the difficult problems inherent in achieving high survival levels and a rapid return to the wild, at a reasonable cost.
Much more must be done, but these pioneering efforts both within and outside of industry reflect a difficult problem yielding to the time and attention of dedicated men and women.
References
Advisory Committee on Oil Pollution of the Sea. 1972. Research unit on the rehabilitation of oiled seabirds. Committee, Dep. Zool., Univ. of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, Annu. Rep. 2. 33 pp.
Atkinson-Willes, C. 1963. Wildfowl in Great Britain. Nat. Conserv. Monogr. 3. 368 pp.
Bergman, G. 1961. The migrating populations of the long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) and the common scoter (Melanitta nigra) in the spring, 1960. Suomen Riista 14:69-74.
Blanks, D. W. 1942. Birds in the war zone. Gull 24(4):11.