- Статьи
- Science and technology
- Cormorant crisis: rare migratory birds may suffer due to fuel oil spillage
Cormorant crisis: rare migratory birds may suffer due to fuel oil spillage
With the onset of warmth in the emergency zone off the Black Sea coast caused by the fuel oil spill, the number of birds will increase by an order of magnitude due to those returning from the south. Two hundred species make a stopover in the region every year and may be affected by the oil spill. The greatest danger of all migratory birds is threatening waterfowl and waterfowl, including several red-listed and simply rare species, warned "Izvestia" in the All-Russian Research Institute "Ecology". Their populations may suffer significant damage. According to ecologists and ornithologists, the only way to protect loons and gulls is to eliminate pollution. Volunteers involved in saving birds are aware of the situation and are ready to help the birds.
Red-listed bird species under threat
In spring, in the emergency zone near the Black Sea coast, the number of migratory birds that may be affected by fuel oil pollution will increase significantly. More than 200 species make stops in the region on their way from south to north. According to ecologists, the number of birds that winter in this area varies from season to season from 200 thousand to 1 million individuals. And with the arrival of warmth their number increases at least 10 times. Some of them have already started to return. For example, volunteers found a petrel killed by oil products. But the bulk of them will start arriving in March, Igor Shkradyuk, coordinator of the industrial ecologization program of the Wildlife Conservation Center, who is now taking part in eliminating the consequences of the accident in Anapa, told Izvestia.
Only waterfowl and near-water migratory species can be seriously affected by fuel oil pollution on the Black Sea coast, as they are the ones at risk of getting into oil product slicks, the Federal State Budgetary Institution VNII Ecology told Izvestia. These birds make up a small share of all migratory birds. The degree of risk will depend on the peculiarities of the biology of specific species. For example, a large number of ducks wintering in the region due to mild winter and lack of ice spent the cold season in bays and plavnyas and did not forage near the coast, which saved them, said Anton Ivanov, a leading researcher of the biodiversity laboratory of FGBU VNII "Ecology".
Crested cormorants
The loons, grebes and cormorants wintering on the coast suffered the most from the oil spill. In spring, the number of other waterfowl species may increase, as those birds that spent the winter further south will arrive, the specialist noted.
- These birds are closely associated with the sea coast. They may go to the shoreline or fish in coastal waters. Fish resources are basic for them and they move for them. This is the reason why they are concentrated in the region. In addition, the red-necked grebe and the crested cormorant, which are listed in the Red Book, are threatened. The Greater Grebe is very numerous and has a wide range. Of course, the death of a certain percentage of it is a serious damage, but we do not foresee a critical situation. But other species are much less numerous," said Anton Ivanov.
According to him, the black-throated loon has already suffered quite a lot. This species has several populations in Russia. The European population is included in the Red Book. And it may have already suffered significant damage, as it almost entirely winters on the Black Sea. A noticeable decline in its numbers can be expected. However, research is needed to make more precise estimates.
Red-necked grebe
Gull species that have not wintered in the area will also arrive in spring. These are, for example, the Black-headed Gull, the Black-backed Crested Gull and the Sea Pigeon. They are much rarer than the Lake Gull wintering in Anapa, so the risk of reducing the number of individuals of this species is much more dangerous.
Work is now underway to eliminate the consequences of the accident. A significant part of the fuel oil has been removed, so the danger is reduced. However, large volumes of oil products still remain on the bottom and they periodically surface due to storms. In general, the concentration of harmful substances is decreasing, so there is hope that the impact of pollution on migratory birds will not be so catastrophic, the specialist emphasized.
Overcooling and poisoning of birds
Evgeny Koblik, senior researcher of the ornithology sector of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, agrees that migratory birds staying in the emergency area may be threatened.
- If the fuel oil is not removed, naturally, migratory birds will be endangered. These are waterfowl. Including migratory ducks, which migrate from more southern places, grebes, some of which winter there and some of which come from the south, to a lesser extent gulls. Herons, for example, may be affected among waterbirds. The only way to protect them is to eliminate pollution as soon as possible. If we try to artificially keep them somewhere, it will disrupt their migration cycle," said Evgeny Koblik.
Black-throated loon
Diving birds - chomgas and loons, which can dive to a depth of up to 46 meters - can suffer most of all from fuel oil. They are found in the slicks much more often than other species. It seems that they get dirty in oil products at depth. Monitoring of the coastal zone by special services is carried out in a strip up to 250 m from the shore. There the depth reaches 5-6 meters, and accumulations of fuel oil are not found there. Due to waves the pollution is either thrown to the shore or goes deep into the water. Oil products are concentrated in pits. For example, there is one at the pier near the village of Vityazevo near Anapa. Divers collect accumulated fuel right under the piles of the pier, Igor Shkradyuk told Izvestia.
- If feathers are contaminated with oil products, their thermal insulation drops sharply and birds freeze. Fuel oil simply destroys the air layer between feathers. At the same time, the bird cannot flap its wings and tries to clean itself with its beak. As a result, they swallow it, and we find many already washed birds dead due to poisoning. Fuel oil is toxic. The diagnosis is necrosis of the esophagus," said Igor Shkradyuk.
Volunteers wash birds affected by the oil spill off the coast of Anapa from fuel oil
Most of the birds will go to the Arctic Ocean after stopping at the coast. According to ecologists, migratory birds from the south are already appearing in Sochi, although the main season has not yet begun. The day before, a petrel inhabiting the Greek islands was found near Novorossiysk; it flew here and got into the fuel oil, an ecologist said. In his opinion, the only way to protect the birds is to remove the pollution in the water and on the shore.
How birds can be protected
The headquarters for helping the affected birds "Yasniye Zori" said that they are aware of the upcoming increase in black-throated loons and have already started preparations. Now new volunteers from different regions are arriving, they are trained by experienced specialists who have been at the headquarters since the first days of the ecological disaster.
- New people get all the knowledge in practice, in particular, how to wash birds properly, as well as how to insert a probe, it all depends on their condition, - said the coordinator of the headquarters "Polar Zori" Irina Dashko. - Mostly volunteers are sent to the beach, but we contact the volunteer center and make a request for as many people as necessary to help the birds in our center.
The headquarters said they are fully prepared for the arrival of birds, because they handled a large number of affected birds at the beginning of the disaster.
- The territory of the center is big enough, we have no problems with the place, we buy all the necessary means for laundering with the money collected by the benefactors, - added the coordinator of the headquarters. - Some volunteers, in addition to helping with birds, try to financially support our activities. We buy probes for birds and even socks for volunteers, because their feet are always wet.
Talks about threatening the entire population of migratory birds would be a strong exaggeration, believes Vladislav Zhukov, a member of the Public Council under the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources. But a waterfowl die-off is quite possible.
- In fact, it's not really bird return season yet," he added. - The number of affected birds will increase in the warmer season. In the next few months, waterfowl, including gulls, will not land on the water, because the sea is stormy enough.
At high plus values in coastal zones, fuel oil may stratify, and light fractions will start to rise, and birds will start to get stuck in them, Vladislav Zhukov noted. The main mass of fuel oil may be thrown to the shore, where birds are very likely to get into it.
- Bird aid centers suffer from a shortage of volunteers," he said. - Problems with them arise, among other things, because of the need to ensure their safety and accommodation. From sanitary and hygienic aspects to the provision of food, warm clothing and first aid. The effectiveness of their measures depends on the number of volunteers.
"Izvestia" sent an inquiry about the situation to the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia. However, by the time this article was published, no response had been received.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
