Algal Foam Kills 10,000 Seabirds Off Washington State Peninsula

November 5, 2009 10:11 p.m. EST

Portland, OR (AHN) - Algal foam killed more than 10,000 seabirds in Washington state's Olympic Peninsula in mid-September, according to a marine biologist and seabird specialist of the University of Washington.

Julia Parrish said thousands more seabirds died from the sticky foam off Long Beach Peninsula two weeks ago.

The birds lost their natural waterproofing and died from hypothermia after being contaminated with the sticky foam caused by algal bloom blown by wind towards shore.

However, wildlife rescuers saved 450 birds by cleaning them up and releasing them back to the wild.

Volunteers from the International Bird Rescue Research Center north of San Francisco released 200 birds this week. The Wildlife Center of the North Coast near Astoria and the PAWS Wildlife Center north of Seattle also rehabilitated a couple of hundred birds. The birds were given warm water and food before they were washed with warm soapy water to take off the slime from their feathers.