Wildlife Response in Frontier Areas

It can be done

Curt Clumpner International Bird Rescue Dr Mike Ziccardi Oiled Wildlife Care Network

March 8,2011 Malmo, Sweden

Frontier Area Response

Key Issues y Safety y y Pre-planning y Trained Personnel

Case Study Selendang Ayu Case C St Study d D Deep W Water t H Horizon i Conclusions

Safety Incident specific risk assessment for wildlife Management structure to make informed decisions Personnel

y Trained T i d and d equipped i d ffor th the potential t ti l

hazards

Appropriate equipment to accomplish the task safely

Response it all comes down to planning and preparation Assessment Hazing /Collection Transport Rehabilitation Release

Personnel Equipment Facilities Management

Decision Tree –Pre-planned Capability

Personnel

Trained Experienced capture Experienced p working g in remote areas

Case Study 1 - Selendang Ayu December 2004

Capture to Rehab

Dutch Harbor Selendang Ayu

Wildlife Recovery Platforms

Cape Flattery - 51 m Research Vessel

F/V Exito - 38 m Crab Boat

Alaska Wildlife Response Center - Anchorage

Case Study 2 - Deepwater Horizon Split Wildlife Response Birds Marine Mammals & S T Sea Turtles tl Off-shore collection MM Turtle only MM-Turtle

Sea Turtles Loggerhead - Threatened

Kemp’s Ridley - Endangered

Others: Leatherback

Green- Endangered

Hawksbill - Endangered

Personnel

Command Post

Facility

y UC Davis & NOAA

y Stranding network

Field

members b y Some contracted staff from other regions from other regions (AZA)

y NOAA regional

stranding t di coordinators y Stranding network members y Key biologists ○ USFWS, FFWC, IRG,

Riverhead

Stranding Response Stranding Response •

Distressed, sick Distressed sick, inj injured, red or dead marine mammals & sea turtles on the beach or floating g – Live animals transported to rehabilitation – Dead animals necropsied to determine cause of

death

Pre-existing networks for both sea turtles & mammals • Reports from responder teams in the field (clean-up crews, SCAT, etc.) and the general public • Calls made to response teams • Daily a y reporting epo g from o field e d to o coo coordinators d a o s to o UC •

At Sea Captures At‐Sea Captures 1‐3 Dedicated 12‐15m vessels ( /d di (w/dedicated aerial helo d i l h l support)) Launched from 1‐3 ports

y Target search area: oil lines and oiled g

weedlines

Personnel: Trained experienced sea turtle biologists g Capture: Dipnets, placed in kiddie pool

y Not vigorously swimming turtles Not vigorously swimming turtles

Stabilization: On board by veterinarian

Offshore Search Efforts for Sea Turtles, 17 May—8 August 2010

Results

Turtles: 1149 y Live: Live: 536 536 ○ 456 oiled (11 stranded, 445 captured at sea) ○ 80 unoiled ○ 466 released y D Dead: 613 d 613 ○ 18 oiled, 438 unoiled ○ 157 pending 157 pending y Species: Green,

Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley

Mammals: 119 y Live: Live: 10 10 ○ 2 oiled, 8 unoiled ○ 4 released y Dead: 109 ○ 5 oiled, 99 unoiled ○ 5 pending y Species: Bottlenose,

spinner, sperm/pygmy spinner sperm/pygmy sperm, Melon‐headed

Challenges

Supporting S pporting teams departing dail daily from three ports travelling 50-130 km offshore very challenging g g y Safety ○ PPE requirements: 40-43C o heat index required p modified procedures y Logistics ○ Ensuring supplies, equipment and personnel support difficult at a distance y Communications ○ Had to rely on satellite phones, marine radios y Interactions with other operations ○ Teams operation in or near “burn box” so needed to ensure all were aware of wildlife operations

Conclusions Pre-planning is essential for safety, success and cost containment Incident Specific Risk Assessment Trained, Trained experienced personnel Weather is the wildcard Flexibility in planning, supervision and on the ground g Manage expectations

Thanks US Fish and Wildlife Service US Coast Guard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration WMU & IMO