MV Rena and oiled wildlife response 

Oiled wildlife rehabilitation is a key component of an oil spill response.   Rehabilitation of wildlife is the process of removing from the wild and caring for, injured, orphaned, oiled or sick wild animals.  The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to provide food, housing and medical care of these animals and release them back to the wild once the habitat is able to receive them.  There needs to be a clear path in the process of treating these animals.  Consistency is key, and skilled personnel are required at every step. The process is  1)  intake, including triage;  2)   stabilisation; 3)  cleaning – wash, rinse, dry of animals;  4)  conditioning including exercise and waterproofing activities; 5) release back to a cleaned environment.