Working Together to Save Wildlife
 

Elana, SCWR intern, assists Dr.Rebecca Duerr with a health check

Dear Wildlife Supporters,

This article is focused on a recent wildlife emergency simply referred to as "The Mystery Goo Event." We had the honor of assisting International Bird Rescue Center in Fairfield, California with their rehabilitation efforts for this event. As you all may have heard by now, the mystery goo in the eastern San Francisco Bay area affected hundreds of shorebirds and seabirds. Officials still have not discovered the cause of this event.

What we do know and have experienced first-hand, is an amazing amount of caring and compassion from people who have come together in an effort to save these wildlife victims from yet another irresponsible human catastrophe. This started on January 16th, 2015 with 151 dead birds collected by wildlife officials and 323 birds admitted for care. With this urgent matter at hand, over 300 volunteers and staff put aside the needs and schedules of their daily lives to save the lives of these birds that needed our professional attention.

Emergency Wildlife Services led the rescue efforts in the field and experienced staff and volunteers at International Bird Rescue led the rehabilitation efforts at the center.  These teams were supported by the following government agencies, wildlife rehabilitation organizations, and other groups:

* US Fish and Wildlife Services
* United States Coast Guard
* California Department of Fish and Wildlife
* Oiled Wildlife Care Network
* Office of Spill Prevention and Response
* East Bay Regional Parks
* Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
* The Environmental Protection Agency
* Peninsula Humane Society
* Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue
* SeaWorld
* Pacific Wildlife Care
* Lindsay Wildlife Museum
* Various media entities

As a result of all of these efforts, the first 24 birds were released at Fort Baker on January 28th with a few donors, spectators and releasers on hand. More birds continue to be released back to the wild from rehabilitation even as you read this newsletter.