Rescuing Pelicans from the Santa Barbara Oil Spill
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Rescuing Pelicans from the Santa Barbara Oil Spill: A Science Café with Dr. Christine Fiorello, DVM
Join us to learn about oil spills, pelicans and wildlife rehabilitation.
"In May of 2015, a pipeline ruptured and spilled over 100,000 gallons of crude oil off the coast of Santa Barbara County. More than 400 birds and mammals were found coated in oil. Brown pelicans were the most commonly affected bird. Over 40 pelicans were cleaned and nursed back to health… but would they survive once released back into the wild? That was our question. To answer it, we put backpacks with satellite transmitters on 12 pelicans, and then caught 8 unoiled pelicans and did the same. We followed these birds for over a year and thousands of miles, and learned just how busy a pelican’s life can be.” --Dr. Christine Fiorello
Admission is free. Sponsored by the ABQ BioPark Conservation Committee.
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