Oil tank vandalism results in waterfowl park 'nightmare' — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Broughshane Waterfowl Park was forced to close after a kerosene spill from a vandalised nearby home-heating-oil tank killed 13 birds; more than 20 birds were sent to the USPCA headquarters for urgent specialist care last week.
- Northern Ireland Environment Agency was first alerted on Thursday 22 October, deployed oil-absorbent booms and other countermeasures after confirming a significant impact on the ponds, and traced the substance to home heating oil, or kerosene, from a nearby tank.
- USPCA bathed and treated the contaminated geese, ducks and swans and gave them charcoal to combat ingested toxins; supervisor Siobhan Hawthorn said some birds reached the centre too late after ingesting too much.
- Gary Hayward said the park was home to 120 “collection birds” and that some of the 13 birds lost were “really close to us,” while describing the incident as a “nightmare.”
- Siobhan Hawthorn said the rescue placed USPCA staff under considerable emotional and mental pressure, while the centre remained unsure how long it would need to care for the remaining birds.
- USPCA said most of the birds brought to its headquarters were not native species and could not be returned until Broughshane Waterfowl Park's pond was 100% cleaned and cleared.
- Northern Ireland Environment Agency described the waterway as much improved, though further oil-removal work would continue for as long as necessary.
Why it matters: The park’s 120 collection birds and the USPCA now face an animal-welfare and operational crisis: 13 birds have died, more than 20 need specialist care, and most treated birds are non-native and cannot return to the park until its pond is 100% cleaned and cleared.
Ask SkimNews
