NSW: A mobile bird washing unit will save oiled birds

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2001
NSW: A mobile bird washing unit will save oiled birds

By Ruth Peters

SYDNEY, April 23 AAP - A mobile bird washing unit designed for use at oil spill sites
would help save the lives of oiled birds, wildlife experts said at its launch at Sydney's
Taronga Zoo today.

The sink-like unit, Australia's first, uses dishwashing liquid and hot water under
constant high pressure to remove oil from feathers.

"Hot water and access to it during an oil wildlife rescue is the most important thing
and there's never enough hot water in most places you go," Taronga Zoo's senior curator,
Erna Walraven said.

"This one will allow us to have instant gas hot water at the absolute correct temperature
for birds."

Ms Walraven said the 1999 Laura D Amato oil spill in Sydney Harbour highlighted the
need for such a unit because there was no facility set up in Australia to deal with oiled
birds.

A bird's feathers are used to help waterproof the body for flotation and to protect
them from cold water.

When feathers became oiled the bird's waterproofing is ruined, leading to a risk of
hypothermia and death, Ms Walraven said.

"The biggest danger is hypothermia. In most cases the bird either gets really cold
if its in southern Australia or overheated if it's in northern Australia," she said.

"So the important thing is when they first come into captivity that we stabilise them
so that their temperature is corrected. Then once that is done we take the oil off."

`Save our Birds' is an initiative of Taronga Zoo, in conjunction with dishwashing liquid
manufacturer Procter and Gamble Australia, who have worked since January to develop the
$25,000 unit.

Australia has experienced nine major oil spills in the past 12 years, including the
1995 Iron Baron spill in Tasmania where more than 2,000 birds were affected.

AAP rhp/jjs/jas/sb

KEYWORD: BIRDS (WITH PIX)

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