The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary

June 12, 2010

SANCTUARY NEEDS DONATIONS for a possible impact on Florida’s beaches from the Gulf Oil Spill:  The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary and Avian Hospital’s trained staff is on stand-by to assist with the Gulf Oil Spill Crisis, with over 700 volunteers on call if needed.  We are asking for more volunteers to be on emergency call and donated items made to the avian hospital at 18328 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, Florida.

The sanctuary is the largest wild bird hospital in the U.S. based on the admission of over 8,000 injured birds each year. It is set up to immediately triage, stabilize and administer fluids to oiled, malnourished, or injured birds. The birds would then need to be transported to a hazardous materials cleaning site.  The Sanctuary has received thousand’s of emails and calls from around the world from concerned groups and individuals. 

The Sanctuary staff and volunteers were a significant workforce in the disastrous Tampa Bay 1993 oil spill and has experienced avian care staff on standby to assist Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research.  To report oiled wildlife affected by the Gulf oil spill please call the Wildlife reporting hotline at 1-866-557-1401.

Needed donations of kennels, towels, gas gift cards, paper towels, and bottled water would help volunteers and the Sanctuary treat injured birds.  Please bring the items to the sanctuary at 18328 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, 33785.   Thanks! – (Media: please contact Michelle Simoneau – michelle@seabirdsanctuary.com or 727-391-2473.)
To volunteer, please email jessicag@seabirdsanctuary.com or call 727-392-4291.  Oil Crisis Flyer

The nonprofit Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, Inc. is the largest wild bird hospital and bird sanctuary in the United States, based on the admission of up to 8,000 birds per year.   For over 38 years, the Sanctuary has helped injured wild birds. The Sanctuary’s mission is dedicated to the rescue, repair & rehabilitation of injured birds and then their release back into nature.        

Founded in 1971 by zoologist Ralph T. Heath, the Sanctuary is world renowned for its innovative rehabilitation techniques, and was the first facility to breed Eastern Brown Pelicans in captivity. The Sanctuary is staffed by experienced professionals and dedicated volunteers. Similar to a human hospital, it is equipped with emergency facilities, a surgical center, bird injury recovery areas, and an outdoor wild bird recuperation area.

BLACK SKIMMERS ARE BACK – HUGE COLONY ON BEACH IN FRONT OF SANCTUARY. Story from last year

Watch Volunteers Help Release Rehabilitated Brown Pelicans

Display areas feature permanently injured birds that have been given a home at our bird sanctuary. Any offspring they produce are released into their natural environment. At any given time,  visitors can view in excess of 600 wild birds. So come our wild bird sanctuary and see how we help injured birds.

The Sanctuary is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation which depends solely on the financial support of caring individuals.

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