Alarm after herring gulls found covered in oil
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- Manx Wild Bird Aid collected 13 herring gulls coated in an unknown orange substance smelling of fish oil, found around Mill Road in Peel, while several other partially oiled birds could not be retrieved.
- The charity warned the oil would kill most affected gulls by waterlogging them in the sea and causing hypothermia, and that chicks could starve if their parents died.
- Manx Wild Bird Aid said oil contamination has been a recurring problem in Peel since 2022, with a peregrine falcon previously collected from the same area, calling it "a terrible impression of our island's attitude towards wildlife."
- The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture said it is aware of the reports, is investigating the cause, and is committed to preventing future occurrences.
Why it matters: Conservationists say oil contamination in Peel has recurred since 2022 without meaningful intervention, undermining the Isle of Man's biosphere designation. The Department of Environment's promise to investigate and prevent future occurrences will be measured against a track record of untreated incidents that are killing seabirds and threatening chicks across multiple breeding seasons.
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