Shedd eager to assist injured wildlife in Gulf spill

With hundreds of sea animals and birds dying as a result of the oil spill continuing in the Gulf of Mexico, Shedd Aquarium staff are poised to assist in rescue efforts.

It's a poignantly familiar scenario for Shedd executive vice president of animal programs and training Ken Ramirez who went to Alaska 21 years ago when the Exxon Valdez ran aground.

"It's heartbreaking," Ramirez said of the BP disaster. "An oil spill can have a devastating impact on such a wide variety of species from animals that live at the bottom of the ocean to birds that feed on fish."

Ramirez and another Shedd expert helped at the Otter Rescue Center in Alaska to save sea otters drenched in oil from the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989.

That intervention eventually led to Shedd's becoming a home for four orphaned otter pups that could not be rereleased into the wild because of their age.

The pups were first seen by the public in 1991 when the aquarium's new Oceanarium facility opened, and Shedd has since become a nursery for other young otters without mothers.

The aquarium has a specialized pool for raising abandoned otter pups with a shallow bottom where they learn to swim and find food.

As efforts continue to cap the leak, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported Tuesday that 506 birds, 228 sea turtles and 29 marine mammals, including dolphins, died within the area affected by the Deepwater Horizon spill. The agency noted it was still determining the official cause of death and not all were necessarily caused by the oil slick.

The number of rescued sea turtles and birds stands at 103.

Shedd officials said they're talking with colleagues in the Gulf area and waiting for instructions on how to help. The aquarium has intervened in a number of ecological disasters, including the Exxon Valdez. Assistance could range from sending medical supplies to dispatching staff with veterinary skills to offering a temporary home for rescued animals.

The effects of the slick hit some species, like sea turtles and brown pelicans, immediately, while marine mammals can be affected later by eating contaminated fish, experts said.

"We are standing by to send staff if necessary," Ramirez said.

The Daily Herald is partnering with Shedd and ABC 7 in a sweepstakes to name the aquarium's new baby beluga whale. To enter, visit dailyherald.com

<p class="factboxheadblack">Win a beluga encounter</p> <a href="https://register.go.com/abcotv/registration/sweepstakes/register?sweepsAlphaID=wls_201005_shedd"><img src="/graphics/contestlogo300.jpg" width="300" height="166" border="0" alt="beluga contest" /></a> <p style="text-align: center" class="factboxtext12col">What should Shedd Aquarium's new baby beluga be named? Cast your vote <a href="https://register.go.com/abcotv/registration/sweepstakes/register?sweepsAlphaID=wls_201005_shedd">here</a> for a traditional <a href="#inuitname">Inuit name</a> and enter to win an experience with a beluga and a Shedd family VIP pack. You must be at least 10 years old and 5 feet tall to win. Winners ages 10-15 must be accompanied by an adult. Full <a href="/pdf/babybelugasweepstakes.doc" target="new">sweepstakes rules</a>.</p> <br />