Oil spill incident: Four kingfishers rescued so far, two have died
SINGAPORE: Four oil-coated collared kingfishers have been rescued in the aftermath of the oil spill on June 14, although two have died.

The National Parks Board (NParks) and wildlife rescue group Acres each retrieved two kingfishers, The Straits Times has learnt. But two of the birds - one rescued by NParks and the other by Acres - died after being rescued.

“As of 18 June 2024, two collared kingfishers have been retrieved by NParks and sent to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation for veterinary treatment and care,” said NParks’ group director Anna Wong.

“Despite providing prompt veterinary care, one of the birds has since passed away.”

“The survival rate for these birds is low even with prompt veterinary intervention due to stress and accidental ingestion of oil which is toxic to them,” she added.

At Acres, the first rescued kingfisher died on June 16, about 36 hours after it was rescued. The team was unable to pinpoint the exact reasons for its death, but the bird had exhibited signs of dehydration, Acres co-chief executive Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan told The Straits Times.

The other is on the road to recovery, but Kalai said he thinks the bird only has about a 30 per cent chance of survival.

Acres - or the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society - is also expecting to receive more reports about wildlife casualties of the oil slick that happened on June 14, said Kalai.

Already, the wildlife rescue group has received reports about other animals, such as otters and monitor lizards, being covered in oil, but were unable to locate the animal when the rescue team arrived.

Other oil-coated animals have also been spotted by members of the public, with Bernard Seah, a wildlife and photographer and conservationist, spotting a lesser sand plover and a blacktip reef shark at St John’s Island on June 16.

The oil spill was caused when the Netherlands-flagged dredging boat Vox Maxima hit the Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour, which was stationary, at about 2.20pm on June 14.

The damaged cargo tank on Marine Honour – which was next to a container vessel berthed at Pasir Panjang Terminal – leaked oil into the sea, resulting in oil slicks seen at Sentosa, the southern islands, and Changi.

The collared kingfishers rescued by Acres were found on Lazarus Island, an offshore island located about 40 min boat ride from Marina South, and at the Keppel area on the mainland.

The first kingfisher was found on June 14, the day of the oil spill, while the second one was found June 17, said Kalai.

The collared kingfisher is the most common species of kingfisher in Singapore. They can be found throughout the island, including in urban areas far from water.

They are distinguished by a white band around its neck and white underparts, with turquoise blue back and wings. They feed on fish, which they catch by diving into the water which may have resulted in their bodies being coated in oil.

The impact of oil slicks on birds is larger than for other animals as it impacts their ability to move, said Kalai. He said: “The moment their feathers get impacted by oil. They are totally stranded, and when they can’t fly they’re really in big trouble.”

The process of cleaning the oil off an animal can also be stress-inducing for the creature, he said.

To reduce the stress for the other kingfisher, the team at Acres is cleaning it off in phases, and using sedatives to help it calm down. Since it was first rescued, the team has only managed to clean the bird three times, he said.

“Even then, there has only been an improvement of about 20 per cent,” said Kalai.

Currently, the bird is well enough to be eating the worms fed to it, but Kalai said it still has a long road to recovery before it can take flight again.

He said that in 2023, Acres rescued another kingfisher from a glue trap. The glue also compromised the bird’s ability to take flight, and it took a year after the glue was removed before the kingfisher could finally be released back into the wild.

NParks’ Dr Wong said that after the birds were brought back to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation, a clinical examination was performed to check for injuries.

“Following which, fluids and pain relief were provided. The mouth, eyes, and nasal areas were also cleaned to reduce any further inhalation or ingestion of the oil. Once stabilised, they were hand fed and also slowly washed with detergent and warm water to minimise further stress to the animals,” she said.

N. Sivasothi, a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore, said animals that are caught in oil spills can suffocate or get poisoned.

For birds, the oil on feathers prevents them from flying and staying warm.

Animals like otters and turtles, or even fish that swim close to the surface of the water, can also be impacted by the oil slick. Animals that live in the intertidal zone - referring to the area that is exposed to air at low tide and submerged at high tide - are also likely to get coated in oil.

“When the tide recedes, the layer of oil will coat the intertidal shore,” he explained.

Sivasothi said he is hopeful that otters can recover from the oil spill as they can also rub the oil off themselves and move to areas with less oil patches.

Kalai added that people who spot oil-coated animals should not attempt to clean them on their own.

“You also need a good environment, a good team of vets, and a plan for the process of cleaning. Removing the oil is just 50 per cent of the work, the other 50 per cent is a lot of time and recovery for the animals,” Kalai said.

Dr Wong said NParks will continue to monitor the immediate impact of the oil spill on Singapore’s marine habitats, including the nation’s corals and wildlife. Biodiversity surveys conducted by the scientists as well as volunteers from Friends of Marine Park at St John’s Island and Lazarus Island on June 16 had indicated no significant impact on the marine biodiversity there, she said.

“NParks will continue to monitor the recovery of these marine habitats post impact, as well as assess if habitat restoration efforts are required,” Dr Wong said. “NParks will also explore activating volunteers for post-cleanup intertidal surveys.”

Members of the public who encounter any oil-slicked animal can contact the Animal Response Centre at 1800 476 1600 (24-hours). - The Straits Times/ANN
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SINGAPORE: Four oil-coated collared kingfishers have been rescued in the aftermath of the oil spill on June 14, although two have died.