Sick birds, no explanation, no masks...at least they have gloves to protect from lead poisoning.
Mystery illness strikes birds
Listless animals found on beach
By JULIA REYNOLDS
Herald Staff Writer
Article Launched: 11/21/2007 01:30:55 AM PST
Dozens of sick sea birds were rescued Tuesday by the SPCA Wildlife Center after they were found lethargic and cold on Marina State Beach.
More than 150 migrating northern fulmars were taken from the beach with what appears to be a mysterious illness, and more sick birds were brought into the SPCA's Wildlife Center at Ryan Ranch in Monterey during the evening.
Beth Brookhouser, a spokeswoman for the SPCA of Monterey County, said Wildlife Center staff members do not believe the birds are victims of the recent San Francisco Bay oil spill.
"They are very sick. They're very lethargic, very cold, and we can pick them up with our bare hands," said Brookhouser. "You shouldn't be able to pick birds up like that."
The birds are hypothermic, she said, and their waterproofing isn't working.
By 9 p.m., Brookhouser said, 135 birds in the SPCA's care were alive, although 39 were in critical condition. Another 19 birds died, she said, and three were "humanely euthanized."
The symptoms may be similar to those of sick marine birds found coated with an oily substance along Santa Cruz County beaches in recent days.
But the birds in Marina do not appear to have oily material on their bodies, Brookhouser said, and the new affliction has affected only northern fulmars.
"This is species specific," she said.
California Fish and Game recently recovered at least 126 live and 36 dead birds of various species in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Chemical tests are being conducted to determine the nature of a clear, oily substance found on the birds.
Brookhouser said the Wildlife Center's supervisor was in Santa Cruz on Tuesday trying to find out if the events are connected, but Brookhouser said so far they do not appear to be.
A northern fulmar may resemble a seagull at first glance, though the birds aren't related. It is one of the longest-lived birds, according to experts at Cornell University, with a life span of 30 or more years. The birds breed in Alaska and Canada in the summer, wintering along the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Late Tuesday, the SPCA's staff was in "full triage" with the fulmars, Brookhouser said.
"It's all hands on deck right now," she said.
She said some birds have died and predicted others would not make it through the night.
Brookhouser said the SPCA learned about the sick birds in the early afternoon, when beach visitors called the agency to report finding them in the sand.
"It turned out to be more than a few," Brookhouser said. "We have about 13 people triaging them and they'll be going well into the night. We're going to be separating them into rooms according to severity of illness."
It was likely some birds were too far gone and would have to be euthanized, she said.
State parks rangers helped gather many of the sick fulmars, Brookhouser said.
While many more birds were brought in during the evening, she said, the number slowed after dark. She expected many more birds would be found before the mystery is solved.
"We're asking people to keep an eye out for these guys," she said. "If they see a sick bird, they should call us."
Mystery illness strikes birds
Listless animals found on beach
By JULIA REYNOLDS
Herald Staff Writer
Article Launched: 11/21/2007 01:30:55 AM PST
Dozens of sick sea birds were rescued Tuesday by the SPCA Wildlife Center after they were found lethargic and cold on Marina State Beach.
More than 150 migrating northern fulmars were taken from the beach with what appears to be a mysterious illness, and more sick birds were brought into the SPCA's Wildlife Center at Ryan Ranch in Monterey during the evening.
Beth Brookhouser, a spokeswoman for the SPCA of Monterey County, said Wildlife Center staff members do not believe the birds are victims of the recent San Francisco Bay oil spill.
"They are very sick. They're very lethargic, very cold, and we can pick them up with our bare hands," said Brookhouser. "You shouldn't be able to pick birds up like that."
The birds are hypothermic, she said, and their waterproofing isn't working.
By 9 p.m., Brookhouser said, 135 birds in the SPCA's care were alive, although 39 were in critical condition. Another 19 birds died, she said, and three were "humanely euthanized."
The symptoms may be similar to those of sick marine birds found coated with an oily substance along Santa Cruz County beaches in recent days.
But the birds in Marina do not appear to have oily material on their bodies, Brookhouser said, and the new affliction has affected only northern fulmars.
"This is species specific," she said.
California Fish and Game recently recovered at least 126 live and 36 dead birds of various species in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Chemical tests are being conducted to determine the nature of a clear, oily substance found on the birds.
Brookhouser said the Wildlife Center's supervisor was in Santa Cruz on Tuesday trying to find out if the events are connected, but Brookhouser said so far they do not appear to be.
A northern fulmar may resemble a seagull at first glance, though the birds aren't related. It is one of the longest-lived birds, according to experts at Cornell University, with a life span of 30 or more years. The birds breed in Alaska and Canada in the summer, wintering along the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Late Tuesday, the SPCA's staff was in "full triage" with the fulmars, Brookhouser said.
"It's all hands on deck right now," she said.
She said some birds have died and predicted others would not make it through the night.
Brookhouser said the SPCA learned about the sick birds in the early afternoon, when beach visitors called the agency to report finding them in the sand.
"It turned out to be more than a few," Brookhouser said. "We have about 13 people triaging them and they'll be going well into the night. We're going to be separating them into rooms according to severity of illness."
It was likely some birds were too far gone and would have to be euthanized, she said.
State parks rangers helped gather many of the sick fulmars, Brookhouser said.
While many more birds were brought in during the evening, she said, the number slowed after dark. She expected many more birds would be found before the mystery is solved.
"We're asking people to keep an eye out for these guys," she said. "If they see a sick bird, they should call us."
