Wildlife and environment officials have discovered 10 birds covered in oil on the Oregon and Washington coasts since Sunday.
An investigation now spans federal and state agencies, but the oil’s source remains a mystery. Federal agencies are investigating via aircraft and satellite.
Birds have been found between Lincoln City and Long Beach, Washington. Agencies recovered four oiled birds alive in Oregon, the Coast Guard said in a news release Wednesday.
Responders found two contaminated birds dead and four alive in Washington. Two of the live birds had to be euthanized due to pre-existing injuries in conjunction with their contamination, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson said.
All birds were common murres, primarily aquatic birds that look similar to penguins.
Oil can destroy water-repelling properties in birds’ feathers, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — exposing them to the harsh elements. If birds swallow oil while grooming themselves, it can also poison them.
The Coast Guard sent two helicopter overflights to patrol the coast but found no additional affected areas. Investigators have sent tar balls — small, dark lumps of oil — found along the coast to a lab for analysis. Tar balls can result from oil spills or ground seeps, cracks on the ocean floor where reservoirs slowly release oil.
Beachgoers should not attempt to handle oiled wildlife if discovered, said Dylan Darling, an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson. Untrained human handling could be dangerous for both the animals and humans, he said. Instead, they should call the agency’s hotline at 800-222-4737.
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