Around 40 animals affected by Boston Muddy River oil spill that came from storm drain, officials say
BOSTON - Preliminary findings suggest that the oil that leaked into Boston's Muddy River from Leverett Pond in Brookline came from a storm drain, according to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
MassDEP estimates that roughly 100 gallons of home heating oil was released, prompting multiple agencies to capture birds from the waterway for their protection.
The clean-up effort began Sunday evening when the oil was first detected. Wildlife experts from the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth headed to the scene to save the birds.
"The oil can cause a variety of clinical signs. It wets their feathers down and interrupts their natural waterproofing. So, they can become cold and hypothermic really quickly," said Dr. Priya Patel, a wildlife veterinarian for the center.
40 animals covered in oil
Eleven Canadian geese and one mallard duck were initially brought into the center for treatment. On Monday, the effort continued to save roughly 40 animals in total.
Boston firefighters also put booms into the river to contain the oil leak.
Patel says all of the animals will face a long recovery and could be in captivity for a month. First, they must be stabilized with food and water before they are thoroughly cleaned.
"We're giving anti-inflammatory pain meds to reduce any inflammation to the skin caused by the oil as well as a gastro protectant which will line the stomach to protect against any potential ulcerations," Patel said, "To do a full wash is very intensive. It can take up to an hour per bird, depending on how contaminated they are. And, to be able to make it through that lengthy wash, the bird has to be stable."
Home heating oil is particularly caustic and dangerous to birds and humans alike. Wildlife officials say members of the public should not attempt to take animals from the river and should leave the job to the experts.
"It does caution irritation to the skin, which again is why we're cautioning people not to catch these animals themselves just because they can get burned," Patel said.
The cause of the spill has yet to be determined.