Razorbills stricken by oil have happily been returned to the wild.
The seabirds, alongside others such as guillemots, were afflicted by an oily substance known as polyisobutene (PIB) that had leaked into the sea in February. The oil can cause illness and fatalities in seabirds like razorbills.
The birds were washed clean by the RSPCA at West Hatch Wildlife Centre in Somerset and treated for symptoms such as exhaustion until at full health. Once ready to return to the wild, the RSPCA released them at Berry Head in Brixham, a famous spot for wildlife and home to a guillemot colony.
Peter Venn from the RSPCA, said: "It has been an intensive few weeks here at West Hatch Wildlife Centre, but all the effort has been worth it and now the release is something that really does give staff and volunteers a sense of achievement for all their hard work."
Noel Hughes, countryside officer at Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, praised the work of the RSPCA and members of the public.
He said: "It is fantastic to see these birds back here in good health, thanks to the hard work of all the RSPCA staff. Great team effort, together with the members of the public who helped us find the contaminated birds."
