Volunteers race to save oil-covered ducks in Perm's polluted Mulyanka
The bank of the Mulyanka turned black, making it impossible to breathe there without a respirator
For the fifth day, the Mulyanka and Pyzh rivers have been covered in an oily film and dark stains. Ducks swimming in the waters have turned black from the unknown chemicals. The recreation center «Monkey Park» at Vstrechnaya, 28, on whose banks the ecological disaster unfolded, called on Perm residents to catch and wash the birds. Even the new director of the Perm Zoo came to help. Our correspondent Alexei Kozhevnikov visited the volunteer headquarters and saw what was happening there.
Brown marks remained on the wipe after it was rubbed on his hand
Pungent odor and black grass
All of these supplies were brought by Perm residents
In January of last year, I went to Anapa, where fuel oil had spilled, and washed birds alongside volunteers. That«s why I knew what to bring to the Mulyanka to protect myself: a respirator, alcohol wipes, and activated charcoal (oil fumes poison the body, and charcoal helps flush out toxins).
A Perm Zoo veterinarian holds a bird that was just washed
When I arrived at the headquarters, I immediately smelled a sharp, acrid chemical odor, like in a car repair shop. The first thing that caught my eye was the blackened Mulyanka and the grass on the bank covered in an oily slime. Among the blades of grass, I saw a dead fish.
The bird«s feathers are completely covered in a black film
I touched the grass with my hands to see what the dark substance was: black marks remained on my fingers, and when rubbed, they turned brown. I wiped my hands with alcohol wipes: they removed the black-brown marks, but my hand became slippery, as if I had dipped it in oil.
Among those who arrived were onlookers watching the events unfold
«Thank God our people are very kind and responsive»
This is what the shed with the ducks looks like
At the base, volunteers divided up tasks, each tending to their own duties. Some caught the soiled ducks, others washed the captured birds, and a third group tidied up the area, sorting through what caring Perm residents had brought: rags, detergents, sponges, medicines, syringes, starch, cotton pads, and food for the activists.
Watch the video to see what is happening on the bank of the Mulyanka
Headquarters coordinator Elena Pleshkova told me that the premises were provided to volunteers by the owner of the «Monkey Park» base, Artyom Starkov, and his staff. According to Artyom, oil began flowing into the Mulyanka on 17 July, and since then a great deal has accumulated. All clients had to be redirected to another base: they are currently not receiving guests at Vstrechnaya.
«At first we bought some equipment ourselves: a net, soap, starch, and then we organized a collection on our VK page, and a lot was brought to us,» Artyom Starkov told 59.RU. «Thank God our people are very kind and responsive: many helped us, and now we have all the materials.»
The head noted that at night he got up every three hours to feed the ducks, give them Polysorb, and keep an eye on them.
«The most important thing we can do now is catch the affected ducks,» says Artyom Starkov. «By our estimates, there were about 200 ducks in the Mulyanka, and we have caught about 20.»
In the first 24 hours, volunteers managed to wash about 13 ducks and one muskrat, but the muskrat died from the stress it endured.
Artyom set aside a small shed for the rescued ducks. I counted 14 birds there: one was sleeping, while the others warmed themselves under a lamp or tried to clean themselves, amusingly wiggling their tails.
«Now volunteers are walking along the banks looking for the remaining birds. They were spotted at night,» Elena Pleshkova told 59.RU. «The team is thoroughly checking the banks from Kondratovo.»
How ducks are washed
Elena also explained how the affected birds are cleaned: first, the duck is sprinkled with starch, then a sponge with detergent is used to scrub off the oily layer. Then the starch is rinsed off with warm water, the bird«s eyes and beak are treated, and after three hours the process is repeated.
To help them recover, the ducks are given medication, because they currently have severe intoxication. A children«s pool was placed in the shed where they live—it should help restore the fatty layer on their feathers, which keeps them from getting wet and helps them stay afloat. For some, this may take a month; for others, longer—some birds may only recover next season.
Even the Perm Zoo director came to help
Staff from the Perm Zoo also arrived: a veterinarian, a lead zoologist, and the new director, Anastasia Zaloga. They worked as a cohesive team and coordinated the volunteers.
«Above all, we are providing consultative assistance and a bit of physical help,» Anastasia Zaloga told 59.RU. «We help with treatment, feeding, and giving injections. In fact, when we arrived, people were already prepared and knew what to do in such a situation.»
While I was talking to people, the head of «Monkey Park,» Artyom Starkov, was running along the bank of the Mulyanka with a large net: searching for and catching ducks to bring them to the volunteers. He only sat down to rest after several hours.
In my presence, a duck covered in black oily liquid was brought to the headquarters. In a box nearby lay starch, and volunteers began sprinkling it on the bird. The duck got scared: it started quacking, trying to break free, and flapping its wings. But within half a minute, it calmed down and seemed to accept what was happening. The bird sat quietly in their hands, watching the volunteers trying to wash it.
Closer to four in the afternoon, about 20 more people arrived at the headquarters—they all responded to the call for help.
The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Perm Region says the leak was caused by the company LLC «LUKOIL-Permnefteorgsintez.» Nevertheless, the regional prosecutor«s office told 59.RU that they are still conducting an investigation.
»Based on the results of the inspection, if grounds exist, response measures will be taken, including a criminal law assessment of the actions of those responsible,« the prosecutor»s office said.
Earlier we reported on how caring Perm residents are helping toads cross the road so they don«t get run over by cars.
