Three mallard ducks are back home after weeks of recovery following chemical burns from spilled diesel fuel. The wildlife organization returned the animals to their habitat on May 9.
Paul Rusinko, wildlife rehabilitation manager for WildCare, worked with volunteer and OU student Brook Rogachuk to rescue 12 ducks after the spill. Two died shortly after contamination and the rest have found new homes or are continuing recovery.
“Besides the obvious issues caused by diesel of internal issues associated with exposure to the chemical, they also had burns to their eyes, their feet and their bills,” Rusinko said.
The ducks temporarily lost oil barriers on their feathers, which keep the animals from sinking. Rusinko said the ducks were bathed several times, then preened themselves to spread the critical waterproofing oil.
“We did a bunch of waterproofing therapy in a special tub where the overflow went off the surface and filtered out so that the oil went off the water and the ducks were not constantly exposed to that,” he said.
A spokesperson for OU confirmed the fuel, which has since been removed from the water, was released from the school’s power plant in March. It’s unclear where the diesel entered the pond.
To rescue the ducks, Rusinko said the group chased after the birds while wading through the contaminated water over three separate visits. After their release, he watched the ducks join the rest of the pond’s wildlife.
“This is the least amount of time we spend with the animals, which is crazy, but it's the happiest time,” he said.
StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahoma’s public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online.
