More Guilemots Covered with Sticky Substance Rescued

Two months ago, nearly 100 guillemots were discovered, covered with an unidentified sticky substance along the Dorset/Devon coast. They were rescued by RSPCA, and the rescue operation continues as more and more guillemots are being blown onto beaches in the South West covered with the same kind of sticky material, reports RSPCA.

The RSPCA officials have collected around 27 guillemots from beaches stretching from Mevagissey, Cornwall to Plymouth, Devon.

The rescued birds were transferred to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Center in Taunton.

"On arrival, the birds' condition will be assessed by staff and, if fit enough, they will be stabilised before any attempt is made to wash the sticky, oily chemical from their feathers. Five birds transferred to West Hatch on Wednesday evening were in an extremely poor condition and were put to sleep to end their suffering. There is still no indication whether this is a new pollution incident or not," an RSPCA spokesman was quoted in This Plymouth stating.

In the incident that occurred this February, nearly 300 birds were treated at the West Hatch Center. It affected a 200-mile stretch of coastline.  

According to experts at the Plymouth University, the sticky substance is mostly polyisobutene, which is an oil additive. But the coastguard agency failed to trace the source of the oil spill and wrapped up its investigation.

The sticky substance is so tightly glued to the bird that staff at the West Hatch are finding it difficult to clean the birds. They are trying to remove the substance with margarine.