Oil Tank Vandalism Kills 13 Birds at Broughshane Waterfowl Park
Vandalism at a home heating oil tank spilled kerosene into Broughshane Waterfowl Park in County Antrim on October 22, killing 13 birds and forcing the 13-year-old attraction to close as cleanup operations continue.
The contamination forced the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to deploy oil absorbent booms after a volunteer discovered the spill, bbc.com reported. Three pens holding five swans alongside ducks and geese were directly impacted when flooding the previous evening submerged enclosures and carried oil through the drainage system, theukpulse.co.uk reported. The spill killed two Trumpeter swans and more than ten ducks, while more than 20 surviving birds were transported to the USPCA headquarters in Newry for specialist veterinary treatment.
Cleanup and Recovery Efforts Underway
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency traced the kerosene to a nearby vandalized tank and confirmed the substance had a significant impact on the ponds. While inspectors deployed containment countermeasures, Gary Hayward, chairman of the Broughshane Environment Wildfowl and Wildlife Trust, described the event as a nightmare to bbc.com. Hayward noted that the park houses 120 collection birds alongside wild species.
Recovery efforts continue after an oil spill caused by the vandalism of a nearby home heating oil tank resulted in the death of 13 birds from Broughshane Waterfowl Park. https://t.co/S3xCxgHvLc
At the USPCA headquarters, wildlife supervisor Siobhan Hawthorn and her team administered charcoal doses to combat ingested toxins and gave contaminated animals emergency baths. Hawthorn told bbc.com that some birds ingested too much oil before reaching the center. The USPCA veterinary team provided round-the-clock care without charging the charity for their services, theukpulse.co.uk reported.
Uncertain Timeline for the Park
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency stated that the waterway has improved significantly, though remediation work will continue for as long as necessary. Hayward estimates it will take weeks for the park to return to normal operations. Because many surviving animals are non-native species, they cannot return to the water until the habitat is fully cleared, according to bbc.com.
We would like to think that they’re over the worst of it, but you just don’t know exactly how much they have potentially ingested.
“We are absolutely heartbroken.” Two beloved Trumpeter swans and more than ten ducks have died after oil entered Broughshane Waterfowl Park following reported vandalism.Volunteers are devastated, with other birds still receiving urgent care and the park remaining closed as the…