Ducks found covered in oil after mineral spill in Mimico Creek in Toronto
Dozens
of ducks found covered in oil have been removed from a Mimico creek
after a truck rollover on Highway 427 caused a spill last night.
Chris Fox, CP24.com Published Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Dozens of oil-soaked ducks have been rescued from Mimico Creek and officials say they fear that the total number of animals affected could be in the hundreds.
The ducks, which were unable to fly due to the oily coating on their feathers, were found at West Deane Park in the Martin Grove Road and Rathburn Road area early on Tuesday morning.
According to wildlife rescue officials, the substance on the ducks is believed to be mineral oil, which does not have the same corrosive qualities as traditional petroleum but still weighs the birds down in the water and affects the waterproofing of their feathers.
A duck that was rescued from Mimico Creek following a mineral oil spill is shown.
“There are probably hundreds of animals affected by this judging by the length of this river and the amount that has been contained to this point,” Andrew Wright of the Toronto Wildlife Centre told CP24 at the scene. “We are fearing the worst and hoping for the best but I think we are going to be out here for a long time collecting affected wildlife.”
According to Wright, the ducks are being captured by volunteers and transferred to an area where they can be cleaned.
The ducks will then be returned to the wild once they have been seen by a veterinarian.
“These are birds that primarily spend their time in water so when they are spending time in water and the oil has affected the waterproofing of their feathers they get heavy, they can’t fly and they become very susceptible to predators,” Wright said.
Toronto Fire has installed a boom across the mouth of Mimico Creek to prevent the further spread of the oil into Lake Ontario.