abhishekdixitg/blacksea-oilbird-risk: Stratification of non-survival risks in fuel oil-contaminated Black Sea birds following washing and rehabilitation

Tens of thousands of seabirds and coastal animals suffer from exposure to oily substances each year from oil product spills. Methods of bird assistance primarily include catching birds, removing contaminants from their feathers, and rehabilitation after laundering. Based on our practical experience in the treatment of birds contaminated with fuel oil, which was spilled into the Black Sea and the coast of the Krasnodar Territory as a result of an accident involving two tankers carrying 9200 tons of fuel oil, we analyze the effectiveness of the traditional technology of cleaning poultry with potato starch, followed by washing with detergents. In addition, we collected dynamic data and applied Kaplan-Meier and Cox methods for stratification of non-survival risks in Black Sea bird species after washing and rehabilitation, respectively. Based on our experimental results and analysis, we consider the applicability of preventive measures not used in this case on the Black Sea coast to conserve bird populations, such as deterrence (sound and kinetic). We show a certain potential and necessity to develop measures to deter birds in regions with a possible oil spill based on scientific research, taking specific bird species into account, their sound communication, ways of encoding sound information in acoustic signals, specific behavior of birds in flocks, seasonality, regional, climatic, and other factors.