Washing oiled marine birds in New Zealand—do we have a detergent that can be used?

Abstract

An efficacious oiled wildlife response requires quick action to remove external contamination of birds’ plumage in order to minimise ingestion of the oil and reinstitute waterproofing and thermoregulatory abilities, with the ultimate goals of increasing likelihood of release and maximising survival. The accessibility of the preferred detergent used in washing wildlife, Dawn® (Procter & Gamble), is limited for isolated nations such as New Zealand and its continuous availability in an extended oil spill response is a concern. This study investigates eight detergents manufactured in either New Zealand or Australia that are easily accessible, and compares their effectiveness at removing oil contaminants from feathers with Dawn®. Results indicate that none of the locally manufactured detergents was as effective as Dawn®. Availability and effectiveness of detergents for oil spill response are important for New Zealand's oil spill strategy and for rehabilitation of oil-affected marine birds throughout New Zealand.