Veterinarians from the University of California, Davis, are working at the university's rescue center in Suisun City to save about two dozen oiled seabirds recovered from the central coast since Sunday.
The oiled birds in this case, all common murres, make up the first large group of oiled animals to be treated at the new San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center in Suisun City.
The center opened in February and is part of the statewide Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), the world's most advanced rescue system for oiled wildlife. The OWCN is managed by the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center and funded by the California Department of Fish & Game Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR).
Yesterday, UC Davis veterinarian Scott Newman worked with the OSPR, other state and federal agencies, and OWCN participants (including the Peninsula Humane Society, Wildcare of Santa Rosa and Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz) to collect oiled birds from beaches from Bodega Bay to Monterey.
Today, beginning at 2 p.m., UC Davis veterinarian Chris Kreuder will be at the Oiled Wildlife Care center, monitoring the birds as they are being washed and rehabilitated in recovery pools.
The first oiled birds were seen by researchers at the Farallon Islands on Friday, Nov. 23. Twenty birds have been found dead or died in care; 21 birds are being treated at the Oiled Wildlife Care center.
Veterinarians from the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center are international authorities in the treatment and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife, including birds, seals and sea otters.
The Oiled Wildlife Care center is operated by the International Bird Rescue Research Center. It is one of 25 sites in the statewide Oiled Wildlife Care Network.
Directions: Take I-80 to Fairfield, just before the I-680 interchange. From the east, take the Suisun Valley Road exit, cross over the interstate and travel south to Cordelia Road. Turn left on Cordelia Road, travel 1/4 mile and see the wildlife center in a big green building on your right. From the west, take the Green Valley Road exit, turn right onto Green Valley Road and travel south to Cordelia Road. Turn left on Cordelia Road, travel 0.7 miles and see the wildlife center in a big green building on your right.