WELCOME..to the Tyler chapter of the National Audubon Society.

HISTORY OF AUDUBON - Click here to read the story of John James Audubon and how the Audubon Society came into existence

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the impact on wildlife in the area

US FISH and WILDLIFE INFORMATION

There are 36 National Wildlife Refuges at risk from the BP Oil Spill. These precious national resources are home to dozens of threatened and endangered species, including West Indian manatees, whooping cranes, Mississippi sandhill cranes, wood storks and four species of sea turtles.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service are searching for oiled wildlife throughout the spill region, rescuing injured birds and animals, and assisting in the joint effort to ensure they are safely cleaned and released.

Many species of wildlife face grave risk from the spill.

Birds can be exposed to oil as they float on the water or dive for fish through oil-slicked water. Oiled birds can lose the ability to fly and can ingest the oil while preening.

Sea turtles such as loggerheads and leatherbacks can be impacted as they swim to shore for nesting activities. Turtle nest eggs may be damaged if an oiled adult lies on the nest.

Oil has the potential to persist in the environment long after a spill and have long-term impacts on fish and wildlife.

LATEST NEWS

Friday, June 25, 2010

Status

528 U.S. Fish and Wildlife personnel are actively responding to the Deepwater BP Oil Spill.

Clean-up crews are working in Barataria Bay in Louisiana. A leaking wellhead was found on the Gulf side of East Timbalier Island in Louisiana. Crews are deploying hard boom at the mouth of Pass A Loutre, LA.

Hand crews and excavators continue to remove oil on the Perdue Unit of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama.

St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge in Florida reports booms are in place at Indian Pass. Due to strong current, booms must be repositioned each morning.

Birds will be moved from the facility in Ft. Jackson, LA to Covington, LA. The move is scheduled for some time in mid to late July. The Mobile Command Center continues to need more teams to maintain a one-hour response time for the entire spill area.

Aerial missions are planned over Barataria Bay, Timbalier and Terrebonne Bay, South West Pass and Chandaleur Islands, Biloxi Marsh and Breton Sound
To volunteer in the generalrecovery effort: 866-448-5816. To report oiled wildlife 866-557-1401. Wildlife Paraprofessional volunteer info: http://www.nwrawildlife.org/page.asp?ID=285

National Audubon Effort

In early June, National Audubon launched the NATIONAL OIL SPILL VOLUNTEER RESPONSE CENTER. It will use the facility in Moss Point, Mississippi along with organizers deployed to affected areas in four states to contact, coordinate and mobilize more than 13,000 volunteers who signed up with Audubon in the first weeks of the disaster. That number is expected to grow.

Interested volunteers may register online at www.audubon.org and will be contacted shortly as opportunities arise.

Anticipated volunteer activities include:

• Volunteer Response Center Staff — scheduling volunteers, identifying and coordinating engagement with new projects, logistical support, arranging training, office management, etc.

• Coastal Bird Survey — collecting data and photos on bird resources and impacts across the coast according to specific scientific protocols.

• Wildlife Transport Facilitator —assisting USFWS and Tri-State Bird Rescue with volunteers scheduled in round-the-clock shifts in key locations for injured/oiled wildlife recovery and transport operations throughout the coastal region.

• Bird Capture and Rescue Materials — volunteers are needed to make nets, cages and other materials to assist trained professionals in oiled bird rescue efforts.

• Citizen Science Monitoring — submitting electronic information on birds sightings at Important Bird Areas, refuges or sanctuaries to assess population impacts, numbers of target species or species of concern

• Bird Hotline Operators –- providing on-site bird expertise for our Volunteer Response Center as well as possibly in field offices of BP, Tri-State Bird Rescue and others involved in response efforts to address issues related to bird sightings, handling, species identification, etc.

To track the sightings of birds by species along the coastline:
http://www.audubon.org/news/pressroom/gos/bird-tracker-map.html

_______________________________________________________

Tyler Audubon Society is devoted to the enjoyment and safekeeping of the natural world. Through the participation in birding, education and conservation ventures, we encourage East Texans to join us in our mission.

The primary objective of the Tyler Audubon Society is to create an awareness of the natural world's beauty and problems by promoting an appreciation of birds, other wildlife and habitat,  to promote an awareness of the environmental problems of the past, present and future, and to find solutions for these problems.