Wildlife

Welfare of Injured Sea Birds

Seabirds face welfare emergencies from oil spills, fishing bycatch, plastic ingestion, and collision with offshore structures; rescue and rehabilitation require specialized protocols.

Key Facts

Oil spills cause severe welfare harm through feather damage and toxic ingestion
Seabird bycatch in longline fisheries kills hundreds of thousands of birds annually
Plastic ingestion blocks digestive systems and causes slow starvation in seabirds
Offshore wind turbines require careful siting to minimize bird collision risk
Seabird populations have declined 70% globally since 1950

Welfare Considerations

Injured seabird welfare emergencies are acute and require specialized response. Oil-affected birds require careful cleaning and nutritional recovery. Addressing the upstream causes — oil spills, bycatch, and plastic pollution — is the primary welfare intervention at scale.

What You Can Do

Donate to seabird rescue centers with oil spill response capacity
Support seabird-safe longline fishing practice requirements
Reduce single-use plastic consumption to decrease seabird ingestion risk
Advocate for offshore wind turbine siting that minimizes seabird collision