Summary
A triage program provides a systematic approach for sorting large numbers of contaminated wildlife for medical care. This program depends on the phase and type of oil spill. During spills of short duration, Early (less than three weeks post spill) and Late (more than three weeks post spill) Phases are easily distinguished. In contrast, the distinction between phases of a chronic spill will be more nebulous and will depend on several factors including the duration of oil release. For either type of spill, the greatest number of urgent care animals arrive during the Early Phase. The Late Phase is characterized by increased numbers of animals requiring minimal care.
