Oiled birds pulled from river following pipeline spill

Four birds, a fish and a frog are among the wildlife lost to the Husky Energy pipeline leak that sent more than 200,000 litres of oil pouring into the North Saskatchewan River near Maidstone.

Another two oil-soaked birds have been rescued from the spill site and are being cared for by volunteers in Maidstone.

Jan Shadick, who runs the Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Saskatoon, said it’s “shocking” how few oil-soaked animals have been found.

“It’s really quite hard to believe that they haven’t found anything,” Shadick said from Maidstone, where she is helping co-ordinate efforts to clean any rescued animals that come in.

She worries that because the river is so fast-moving, birds or other animals that were coated in oil and left unable to float or swim have drowned and been swept away.

“I suspect we’re going to find a fair number of oiled wildlife carcasses downriver at some point,” she said.

Wes Kotyk, executive director for the provincial Ministry of Environment’s environmental protection branch, agreed with Shadick.

“I anticipate there will likely be more impacts and there may be some that haven’t been identified or found yet,” he told reporters during a teleconference Monday.

Shadick said she plans to work with volunteers in Maidstone for as long as it takes to care for any animals that come in. At present, she’s caring for a Canada goose and great blue heron, which are coated from beak to tail in “a very, very, very thick bitumen,” she said.

“It’s really heart-wrenching working with these two birds. I give both of them kudos for staying alive,” Shadick said.

The birds need to be fed and monitored for at least 48 hours before the long and stressful process of washing can begin. Shadick said volunteers will use mineral oil and a special brand of dish soap to work the oil out of their feathers.

Though many people have reached out to Shadick offering to help with the cleaning, Shadick said volunteers are not needed at the moment because it’s not yet clear if any more animals will be recovered.

It’s really heart-wrenching working with these two birds. I give both of them kudos for staying alive.