Environmentalists have urged the public to report marine oil spills as quickly as possible to prevent them causing serious damage to the Island’s wildlife.

The call comes after a stricken longtail covered in oil washed up close to the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club last week.

The bird was taken to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) for emergency treatment but later died as a result of damage caused by the oil.

“This immediate reporting helps reduce the spread of the spill and improves the chances of intervention to save the birds,” said a spokesman from the Ministry of the Environment.

“Most oil spills in Bermuda are small and involve light weight oils that create a sheen on the surface of the water and, because they are volatile, evaporate over a course of hours to days depending on the size of the spill.

“These tend to cause problems for wildlife because they contain toxic chemicals and exposure through the skin or mucous membranes or through inhalation of fumes can cause serious injury and death.

The Department of Environmental Protection was alerted to last week’s bird fatality and conducted its own investigation, but no spill or source of the oil could be found.

The spokesman added: “Oil spills are a huge problem for marine life and, because it generally floats, mainly affect animals and plants that interact with the surface of the water or when it comes ashore.

“In this instance, this appeared to be a medium weight oil that both covered the tropic bird and had a toxic component.

“When oils get on to a bird’s feathers it causes a big problem for the bird. Birds feathers are designed to be naturally waterproof and it requires the feathers to be well aligned, clean and for them to interlock, much like Velcro does.

“Instinctively, birds will try and clean their feathers, which also leads to ingestion of the oil.

“This will then damage their digestive system through chemical burns and also results in poisoning. Oil spills can also have major impacts on delicate ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves.”

Oil spills should be reported immediately to Bermuda Radio on 297-1010 or by e-mailing operations@ccbermuda.bm. Members of the public can also call the Bermuda Marine Police at 247-1770.

Any injured wildlife should be reported to BAMZ on 293-2727 for collection or drop off so they can receive instant care.