BOSTON — Wildlife rescuers rushed Monday to care for dozens of geese and ducks drenched in oil after a leak in a Boston river.
Police and firefighters were dispatched to the Muddy River on the border of Boston and the city of Brookline just after noon Sunday after reports of a possible oil spill, Brookline police said. Emergency responders discovered there was a leak in the waterway that was impacting wildlife, including numerous ducks and geese, police said.
State environmental officials and wildlife rescuers responded and were still working Monday, officials said.
Preliminary findings show the oil spill appears to have come from a drain beneath a nearby condominium complex, said Danielle Burney, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection estimates that less than 379 gallons of oil was released, Burney said.
The DEP is still investigating the exact source of the spill, which is being contained and managed, Burney said.
“The New England Wildlife Center is on site to accommodate affected waterfowl for treatment and rehabilitation at their facility. They will continue to monitor the area to ensure the safety and well-being of local wildlife,” Burney said.
Rescuers said it would take a month for the birds to be treated and released back into the wild. Twenty birds had been counted by Monday afternoon, but dozens more were expected to need care, said Katrina Bergman, president of the New England Wildlife Center, which responded to the animals.
Bergman said most of the birds were Canada geese and mallard ducks, which are common along the Muddy River. The river is a popular spot for walkers and joggers. The spill occurred near the Longwood train station, about a mile from Fenway Park.
Taking care of the animals is difficult because they need to be cared for without stressing them, said Zak Mertz, CEO of the New England Wildlife Center.
Giving the injured wildlife space to care for them was critical, officials said.
“We don’t want to encourage them to do extra activities, especially if they have oil in their mouth and nose, which could cause more damage,” Mertz said.
Rescuing wildlife involves proper training that most members of the public don’t have, police said.
“We know that community members are concerned about the welfare of affected wildlife and are interested in what they can do to help. For something like this, it’s important that we only use people with the proper PPE and training,” Brookline police said in a statement.