Vet heads to East Cape as oil spill spreads
East Cape Credit:
panoramio.com
A veterinarian from the Oiled Wildlife Response Unit near Mount Maunganui is travelling to East Cape today amid reports that oil spilling from the stricken container ship Rena is showing up in the water and on beaches there.
Unit manager Dr Brett Gartrell, who is director of Massey University’s Wildlife Health Centre, says the vet, Janelle Ward, would be based at a stabilisation point set up to treat any oiled birds and other animals affected by the spread of the oil.
The unit at Mount Maunganui is currently caring for 288 live birds.