This came thru on Texbirds list serve today. I felt it should be shared w/ Ohio birders. Hopefully, if we get the word out [on the various listserves around the country] this massive wild life tragedy will come to light and BP will be on the hot seat. Sue YOST ~^/^~ Denton Co. Dallas, TX -----Original Message----- From: Birding discussion list for Texas [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Uneeda Sent: Friday, June 04, 2010 2:03 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [texbirds] BP: Sham of Wildlife Rehabilitation Dear Texbirders, The issue of wildlife rehabilitation is not being addressed effectively by BP. Tri-State Bird Rescue is in Venice, La. They have received very few live birds proportionate to the numbers actually being affected. Most of the birds, turtles, dolphins, etc., are washing up dead. However, teams are not being sent out to capture oiled birds and other wildlife suffering from the effects of the oil and dispersants. In order to save the wildlife the animal must be brought into the facility to be cleaned. With no one going out to retrieve birds and other animals the wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico is sentenced to a slow and painful death. Experienced individuals from the gulf coast states have signed up with BP to volunteer for capture, cleaning, and medical triage work. Some of us have been on a sign up list for more than a month. We have worked at other oil spills. We have had the required OSHA training. Many of us have had advanced training since working at past spills. We know how to work safely and effectively with wildlife. However, BP never calls with an assignment or information as to where our services are needed. We are not asking to be paid. We want to help. However all we are ever told is to "Stand by and BP will notify when BP deems it necessary." Meanwhile the wildlife is dying and nothing meaningful is being done! The photos taken June 3, 2010 at East Grand Terre Island, LA by AP Photographer Charlie Riedel prove birds are coming ashore alive but heavily oiled. Without help they die, simple as that! BP has a list of thousands who have volunteered to help with wildlife rehabilitation but refuses to call any of the volunteers to help bring in the wildlife for rehabilitation. In my opinion, BP doesn't want the American public to see the carnage they have caused. BP appears to be hoping most of the wildlife and birds will die off shore and sink to the bottom of the Gulf. Out of sight, out of mind! Hopefully the news media will investigate the issue of wildlife deaths and the supposed good faith efforts BP claims to be doing. It is all a dog and pony show for the media, the Whitehouse, politicians, and the American public. Wake up America! The efforts to save our wildlife should not be in the hands of BP. The massive rehabilitation effort needed must be directed by local rehabilitation facilities experienced with oil spill contaminated wildlife. Resources should and could have been activated at the beginning of this catastrophic event. The only thing BP has done is set up the "show" facility at Venice and claim that a significant number of wildlife has not been found. People, the birds do not come to you, people must go out and collect them for clean up. If you don't believe look at the photos at: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/caught_in_the_oil.html . Please don't let BP get away with this sham of rehabilitation. Sincerely, Uneeda Laitinen [log in to unmask] TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]