Peru oil spill puts sea birds in danger, Spanish refinery firm told to pay compensation

Sea birds have been rendered powerless to fly, swim or eat after having been drenched in crude

On January 15, an Italian-flagged tanker at the refinery operated by Spanish company Repsol was unloading oil at a refinery off Peru’s coast. It was around these times that a massive volcanic eruption happened thousands of kilometres away, in Tonga. The eruption gave rise to a huge tsunami, and the huge waves travelled to the Peru coast, upsetting the oil tanker. The result was a massive spill, with around 12,000 barrels of oil contaminating the sea waters.

The oil spill impacted not only humans along the coast, but also the animals and birds around. And, how! It’s been a disaster of mega proportions for the sea birds and penguins that got drenched in crude.

Sea birds fighting to keep death away

These helpless, feathered creatures have borne the brunt of the oil spill after being left to nature’s mercy. They have been rendered powerless to fly or swim with all the crude holding their feathers together. Besides, the amount of contaminated food they have been exposed to are threatening their lives.

The Peruvian authorities were able to rescue around 150 oil-stained birds alive, but only half survived. These birds are currently under the care of the authorities at the Peruvian zoo. Among the affected birds are penguins, cormorants and pelicans, who have been rendered helpless after having drenched in crude.

It is being reported that the birds cannot fly or feed with oil in their wings. Many of those that dead were the ones that had fed on contaminated fish. Most of the survivors still have crude in their mouth and digestive system, and that poses a major risk.

Peruvian zoo striving to save birds

At the zoo, these birds are being treated with special rehydration mixture fed through a tube. They are constantly bathed and dried with towels. The zoo workers are facing high stress as they go about tending to the birds in a desperate bid to keep them alive.

The results, however, re showing of late. After two weeks of good care, the authorities have said that the penguins have tripled their food consumption. The other birds are also coping fast.

Meanwhile, the Peruvian government wants the Spanish oil company Repsol to take responsibility and pay compensation for the spill.