Assessment of injury to seabird and marine mammal populations along the southeast coast of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill during summer of 1989
Bailey E, Rice B, US National Park Service. 1989. Assessment of injury to seabird and marine mammal populations along the southeast coast of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill during summer of 1989. US National Park Service
The primary purpose of these studies are to assess injury to seabird and marine mammal populations along the south coast of the Kenai Peninsula as a result of the oil spill from the T/V Exxon Valdez on March 24, 1989. Collection in the field of oiled dead and live wildlife specimens comprised the primary method to determine direct injury to wildlife as a result of the spill. This work was conducted by "Bird Rescue" and "Otter Rescue" crews funded by Exxon/Veco, and all specimens were turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Over 30,000 dead oiled birds and over 800 dead oiled sea otters have been recovered by September 15, 1989. The recovery success rate has been estimated to be about five percent for dead oiled seabirds and __ percent for sea otters. To supplement these findings, the following three studies were conducted: 1) Colony Censuses, 2) Shoreline Surveys, and 3)Beached Bird Surveys. As weather and time permitted, a reconnaissance of nocturnal seabird nesting colony sites was also conducted where they had not been previously examined. This helped to complete the picture of colonial nesting seabirds in the study area.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Bailey, Edgar; Rice, Bud; US National Park Service
- Date of Issue
- 1989-09
- Publisher
- US National Park Service
- Units
- KEFJ , SWAN
- Keywords
- Abundance, Bald Eagles, Barwell Island, black-legged kittiwakes, Cape Resurrection, Chiswell Islands, Distribution, Exxon Valdez, glaucous-winged gulls, Harbor Seals, Kenai, Landbird Bibliography, Marine Mammals, Murres, Oil Spill, Pye Islands, Sea Lions, Seabirds, seaotters, tufted puffins