45 Organizations, One Mission: The Oiled Wildlife Care Network

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If you see oiled wildlife, call the OWCN 24-hour hotline: 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926)

Frankie Lill coordinates wildlife oil spill response for the entire state of California. She also used to work with us, and is making this podcast cooler by the second. In this episode, she breaks down how the Oiled Wildlife Care Network mobilizes within hours of a spill, what it really takes to rehabilitate an oiled bird, why blue dish soap is still the MVP after decades of research, and reminisces on her past work (of being a social media SUPERSTAR) at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

In this episode:

• Frankie's aviculturist background at the Aquarium of the Pacific and her role as Wildlife Planning Specialist on the OWCN team
• How OWCN was created in response to catastrophic spills in the late 1980s and early 1990s
• The four R's of OWCN's work: readiness, response, reaching out, and research
• What happens when a spill is activated, from the planning meeting to boots on the ground within two hours
• The full care journey of an oiled bird: field capture, stabilization, intake and processing, pre-wash care, washing, conditioning, waterproofing, and release
• Why inland oil spills are more common than most people realize
• How the network prepares responders for every species

Get involved:

• Learn about OWCN and find member organizations
• If you see oiled wildlife, call the OWCN 24-hour hotline: 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926)

Episode resources:

• Aquarium Staff Lend a Helping Hand to Oiled Seabirds in Ventura County
• Aquarium Staff Members Helped Rescue Animals Affected by the Oil Spill
• Aquarium Aids in Rescue Effort to Save Baby Seabirds
• Beautiful turban snail video

Episode photo cover courtesy of OWCN/UC Davis

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