Rise in bird deaths due to Kerch Strait oil spill

Moscow, Nov 22 (UNI) There will be a rise in the number of birds dying because of the oil spill in the Kerch Strait, according to a member of the WWF volunteer group.

On November 11, thousands of birds were killed when at least 2,000 metric tons of oil spilled into the Kerch Strait as a tanker split open and four freighters sank in a storm.

Valentin Kozlitin, the chief veterinary doctor at the Moscow zoo said after a visit to the disaster area,''Birds stained with fuel oil have virtually no chance of survival if no one helps them.'' Earlier reports said around 30,000 birds had died as a result of the oil spill but Mr Kozlitin said the number will rise as their migration routes cross the disaster area.

But he added that there was still a chance to help the birds arriving at the site.

''The authorities are taking no steps to rescue the birds and, on the contrary, are restricting and hampering the work of a few volunteers,'' Mr Kozlitin said.

He added birds are dying of dehydration, hypothermia and starvation.

UNI