Wildlife Cleanup

Following oil spills, certain wildlife may be collected for cleaning and treatment and then returned to the environment. This wildlife cleanup occurs because oiled fish, birds, and animals may potentially absorb lethal toxins through their skin. However, wildlife cleanup is an expensive, time-consuming undertaking and, although techniques have improved greatly in recent years, recovery rates are often poor. Many species cannot be rehabilitated because they are either too difficult to capture, or the stress of their captivity is likely to have a greater negative effect than the oiling.