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Research and Conservation Committee

Mission Statement

“To support and promote research and conservation in the marine animal field through education, collaborative communication, and endowment of funds for conservation and research initiatives which support IMATA’s mission.”

For more information on getting involved with IMATA's Research & Conservation Committee, contact Debborah Colbert at ResearchConservation@imata.org.

 

Funding

Research and Conservation funding applications due 15 JULY 2011!
Get application details now:

RESEARCH GRANT

CONSERVATION FUND

 

 

IMATA Members are Helping Marine Animals Affected by the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill!
 

As the nation’s leading scientific resource for oil spills, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was on the scene of the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill since it began on April 20, 2010.  NOAA has provided coordinated scientific weather and biological response services to federal, state, and local organizations and hosts the official site for the federal, state, and local oil spill response:  RestoreTheGulf.gov which provided the latest news, phone numbers, and information.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) supported the joint agency response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with experienced specialists, land managers, and support personnel. The Service also initiated Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration activities in this incident to assess and address the long-term damage to impacted resources.

These agencies, as well as the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (http://www.owcn.org/) led the effort to save and care for marine animals impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  Full reports about the types and numbers of wildlife impacted by the oilspill can be found at the USFWS Report page.

IMATA members from a variety of aquariums and zoos mobilized to help rescue, clean, rehabilitate, and release these animals. Many of these institutions already had marine animal rescue and rehabilitation programs with trained personnel and existing infrastructure that were made available to help with the oil spill response.

Some of these efforts included:

The Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program, coordinated by the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, was the primary responder for the state of Louisiana for rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing marine mammals (dolphins, whales and manatees) and sea turtles.

Gulf World, Gulfarium, and The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies had rescuers available to respond to stranded animals and have been involved in rescuing and de-oiling hundreds of sea turtles.

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium updated its reporting systems on beach conditions and the marine ecosystem and gathered baseline samples of water, sediment, and organisms for study. Unified Command asked that Mote become a primary reception site for oiled sea turtles. Mote also launched several underwater robots offshore of Southwest Florida to patrol the Gulf for oil.

Georgia Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium's Dolphin Conservation Field Station offered their manpower, equipment, as well as the skills and knowledge of trained professionals having previous experience with oil spills affecting marine birds, sea turtles, and marine mammals.  

The Walt Disney Company had their wildlife and veterinary experts keep in touch daily with state, national, and nonprofit organizations to anticipate needs and had teams standing at the ready to offer their assistance.

The Sea Research Foundation (parent organization of Mystic Aquarium) was prepared to care for oiled animals and sent experts to Washington, D.C. to brief the Connecticut Congressional delegation on the preparations being made to bring assistance to the Gulf Coast region and a veterinarian to New Orleans to assist the Audubon Nature Institute in rehabilitating oiled sea turtles.

The Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation prepared for environmental restoration, stranding response, and wildlife rehabilitation of marine mammals, river otters, sea turtles, and birds. The Center was also actively pursuing research and development of in-shore aquaculture and transplantation techniques for Atlantic corals as a strategy to stock emergency populations for restoration to damaged reefs.

The Jackson Zoo sent staff twice a week to Alabama Wildlife Center to help with rescued birds. They also were the holding facility for non-releasable birds as they wait placement in other institutions. Some pelicans have already found homes at Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment pledged their expertise, facilities, manpower, and resources to aid animals affected by the oil spill and SeaWorld San Diego's Oiled Wildlife Care Center was contracted to help with manatee rescue and rehabilitation as needed.

 

IMATA wants to recognize all zoo and aquarium efforts!  If your institution was involved with the oil spill response but is not listed here, contact us at researchconservation@imata.org