Rehabilitation of oiled wildlife: Why do it ?

Although the public's interest in oil spills and similar environmental disasters often focus on the plight of injured animals, animal issues are only a very small part of an oil spill response. The dichotomy between the public's and the media's perception of what is important and what many wildlife biologists feel is important for long-term species conservation has led to conflicts and heated exchanges between proponents and opponents of oiled wildlife care. Additionally, some critics believe that there is a competition for funds between wildlife care and wildlife restoration, and that oiled wildlife care is offered up as a solution to pollution's damage to wildlife populations, or as an alternative to prevention. In California the collection, medical care, and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife is part of a comprehensive program for pollution response and provides data needed for planning, prevention and restoration. It is conducted for specific legal, social, political, and biological reasons. Under these circumstances, oiled wildlife care supports species conservation programs, as well as helping to document injury.