PRESS RELEASE

State Wildlife Recovery and Rehabilitation Effort to Include Assistance From Around U.S.
Oil Spill Impacted Mammal and Bird Species Will Receive Care From Veterinary Specialists

BATON ROUGE (May 5, 2010) - Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert Barham made arrangements with the state Board of Veterinary Medicine to credential out of state specialists for assistance in the oil spill response effort.

In the agreement, the board will grant emergency waivers for veterinary specialists experienced with distressed whales and sea turtles, as well as migratory birds, wading birds and shore birds that would be most vulnerable to the effects of oil approaching the Louisiana coastline.

Veterinarians from Delaware, California and Alaska have already volunteered their services to assist state and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service veterinary professionals in the recovery and rehabilitation effort being staged in Houma and Fort Jackson.

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