Oil from an unknown source made its way into the lake in Sean Walsh Park and the Grand Canal on 7 February 2015. Dublin SPCA has 10 oiled swans in care.
Eight were rescued from the park’s pond, while the other two were found at separate locations. All ten birds were heavily oiled. Authorities do not yet know if the oil came from a single incident, but one theory suggests that the oil may have spread from the park into a river linked to the canal. Cleanup and an investigation of the incident began early on the 7th. No further oiled birds have been reported and he swans in care are expected to be released back into the area after being cleaned and stabilised.
While this is a minor incident, it is one of many similar situations throughout Europe where small numbers of birds are oiled. Each year wildlife rehabilitation centres clean birds affected by similar minor oil releases, many of which are never reported other than in local media. Although many of those birds are released after rehabilitation, the long-term toll on avian health is a concern, as is the lack of a central reporting mechanism for the EU. Such a reporting system could provide a clearer picture of the overall numbers of birds affected by small incidents each year, which would complement the information available from large spill responses.
Resources:
10 swans left ‘at risk’ after oil spills into the Grand Canal. The Independent.ie. Accessed online 9 February 2015.