Mysterious oil spill soils hundreds of birds off Estonian coast
Hundreds of oil-stained birds - mainly sea gulls and long-tailed ducks - have been found on the west coast of Estonia early this week. Heavy winds made it difficult to pinpoint the origin of the oil, but Tõnis Ulm, head of the Environment Centre of Western Estonia, feels that a leak from a tanker could be a possible explanation.
Experts say that the spill is more extensive than what usually happens when a ship empties its bilge tanks.
"The leak probably took place at the open sea near the Estonian coast. Swans and other shoreline birds do not seem to have been affected."
Inspectors of the Environment Centre checked an area with a radius of about 30 kilometres, and counted about 200 stained birds that were still able to fly, and about 50 others that were unable to fly.
The first extensive observations of birds affected by oil came from birdwatchers of the Estonian Bird Society. Members of the group have been keeping track of migratory birds over the past five months near the coastal village of Spithami in the northwest of Estonia.
"On Sunday we saw two birds stained by oil. Since then we have seen about 500 oily birds with our own eyes. The real number is undoubtedly much bigger", says birdwatcher Margus Ellermaa.
"The rocks on the shore are covered with long-tailed ducks. They come to the shore when they start feeling cold at sea. Even a small amount of oil hurts their ability to regulate their body temperature. Many of them will die in the winter. Even those birds that are washed clean have lost their ability to regulate temperature."
Units of the Estonian border guard patrolled coastal areas on Wednesday, but there was no hint of where the leak may have come from.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 2.12.2004 - TODAY |
 Mysterious oil spill soils hundreds of birds off Estonian coast |
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