Oiled Sea Otter Capture Course

Chapter 4 – Introduction

During an oil spill, large numbers of sea otters may arrive simultaneously at rehabilitation centers. Because facilities and veterinary personnel often are not equipped to handle more than five oiled animals at one time, it becomes necessary to develop a quick, straightforward system for evaluating animals and establishing priorities for treatment. This chapter presents criteria for evaluating large numbers of animals and for developing a triage program during a large scale emergency. Two types of large spills are considered, a short-term event such a tanker spill and a long-term event as occurs with an oil platform blowout.