Recently, numerous oil spills across the Pacific Coast and Gulf of Mexico have impacted the survival and habitats of thousands of animals.We spoke with the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center of Huntington Beach, California to learn about their work stewarding the health of wildlife.
For an extended version of this interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
We are in the midst of an accelerating sixth mass extinction of wildlife on Earth. This can be attributed to a number of causes: burgeoning human population, destruction of habitats, wildlife trade, pollution, and the ongoing climate crisis. Since 1971, following the blowout on a drilling rig off Santa Barbara, California, there have been numerous oil spills across the Pacific Coast and Gulf of Mexico. These disasters have impacted the survival and habitats of thousands of animals. Some species and their wetlands and beaches have already been irreversibly damaged. There are, however, important interventions necessary to protect wildlife and their habitats.
On this show, Caught in the Crossfire: Rehabilitating & Releasing Native Wildlife, Debbie McGuire and Dr. Elizabeth Wood of the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center [http://wwccoc.org/] join us to discuss their shared commitment to protecting native wildlife and how we might respond to the urgent call of our animal relatives.
Listen to our show on the Orange County Oil Spill last year: Deadly Waters – Oil Spills & The Future of Offshore Drilling
https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/deadly-waters-oil-spills-the-future-of-offshore-drilling/
Debbie McGuire’s life was forever changed after encountering the tragedy of oil-soaked birds following the 1990 American Trader Oil Spill. At that time, no permanent facility existed to rehabilitate and assist impacted birds. After retiring from 25 years as Hospital Administrator at a veterinary hospital, Debbie, who has a Masters of Business Administration, became the Executive Director of Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center of Huntington Beach.
Dr. Elizabeth Wood is the Staff Veterinarian and Medical Director for Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center. She attended veterinary school at Western University of Health Sciences and obtained her undergraduate degrees from UC Santa Cruz. She has experience in local and international wildlife programs and has always had a passion for conservation and environmental activism. She and Debbie work together to rescue and rehabilitate native wildlife, particularly those animals which have been injured, orphaned or “oiled,” and restore them to their native habitats.
Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/
Support the Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
Hosted by Carry Kim
Intro by Jessica Aldridge
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Show Created by Mark and JP Morris
Episode 132
Photo credit: WWCC
Updated 10 May 2022
Related posts:
