S’pore oil spill: 2 surviving oil-soaked kingfishers in stable condition, not out of the woods yet

SINGAPORE – The two oil-soaked collared kingfishers which survived

the June 14 oil spill in Singapore waters

are in a stable condition after extensive work by wildlife rescuers to save them – but they are not out of the woods yet.

Birds that survive oil spills typically require at least seven weeks to be nursed back to health, said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee in a Facebook post on June 26.

Four kingfishers were rescued from different parts of Singapore

in the aftermath of the Republic’s worst oil spill in over a decade, caused by a dredging boat hitting a stationary bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

Two of them subsequently died.

One survivor is currently being treated at the National Parks Board’s (NParks) Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and the other is under the care of wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).

The collared kingfisher is the most common species of kingfisher in Singapore. It can be found throughout the country, including in urban areas away from water.

The Straits Times was given access to observe veterinary treatment for the kingfisher at NParks’ wildlife rehabilitation facility in Lim Chu Kang.

The bird, which was rescued from East Coast Park on June 16, now spends most of its time in an incubator as it recovers. It is kept warm at 28 deg C to 30 deg C, because the oil impacts the kingfisher’s ability to maintain its body temperature.

To avoid further stressing out the bird as it is unaccustomed to human contact, it cannot be handled for more than 15 minutes a day.

Animal rescuers work swiftly within this limited time window to give it the veterinary care it needs.

When taken out of the incubator, the bird is swaddled in a purple cloth. Vets quickly weigh it, and administer fluids for hydration and pain-relief medication.

While parts of its body like the eyes, mouth and nasal passages have been cleaned and are free of oil, many of its turquoise blue feathers remain tarred with oil. Cleaning has to be done slowly and meticulously with a toothbrush.

NParks’ group director Anna Wong said: “It’s very difficult to clean oil off the bird because it gets into all the feathers. We can’t clean (the bird) every day because it gets too stressed. That’s why cleaning is not completed even though it has been with us for a while.”

For now, the bird’s condition has stabilised. It is alert, eating well on its own and has gained a bit of weight.

Dr Wong added: “It’s too early to say if it is on the road to recovery, because when birds get stressed, they can get anaemia, where they have low levels of red blood cells.”

At Acres, the condition of the kingfisher it is nursing seemed to have taken a positive turn. The bird was rescued on June 17 from Lazarus Island, about a 40-minute boat ride from Marina South.

It was previously estimated to have only a 30 per cent chance of survival, but with the oil fully cleaned from its feathers, it can already fly, increasing its chances of being released into the wild.

While its feathers are still dark from the oil stains and could remain so permanently, ST saw videos of it flitting around its cage and eating on its own.

Commenting on its chances of recovery, Acres co-chief executive Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan said: “I will still be conservative and say 30 per cent to 50 per cent. Kingfishers always get stressed easily, so anything can happen in captivity.”

The bird’s natural waterproof coating, which helps it to fly even after diving into water, has been washed off in the process of removing the oil. This coating needs to be restored naturally over six to seven months.

To test if the bird’s waterproof coating has been restored, Acres will mist the bird with water and observe if its feathers repel water or get soaked.

Mr Lee said that NParks, as well as partners such as Acres, Mandai Wildlife Group, S.E.A. Aquarium and the Singapore Veterinary Association, are ready to carry out further wildlife rescue work, if there are reports of other wildlife that may be impacted by the oil slick.

NParks’ Dr Wong said the organisations are in close contact with one another following the oil spill, and will tap one another’s expertise.

NParks’ wildlife rehabilitation centre usually treats native animals like birds and reptiles, while S.E.A Aquarium could help with marine mammals. Mandai Wildlife Group has more specialised equipment if an animal needs further diagnosis.

Members of the public who encounter animals affected by oil slicks can contact NParks’ Animal Response Centre on its 24-hour helpline on 1800-476-1600, or call Acres’ Wildlife Rescue Hotline on 9783-7782 from 7am to 1am.