Oily Film Impacts Gulls on Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River

CLEVELAND, OH - The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and the ODNR Division of Wildlife with assistance from the U.S. Coastguard- Cleveland, are working together to investigate a spill consisting of an oily substance that was dumped into the Cleveland City sewer system and consequently flowed into the Cuyahoga River according to the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The source of the spill is unknown at this time. 

“The substance, which we believe to be a sort of vegetable derivative, has settled in a small portion of the river and is being kept there by north winds,” said Dan Kramer, wildlife management supervisor for the Division of Wildlife in northeast Ohio.  “About 100 ring-billed gulls have been affected by the spill,” noted Kramer. A large nesting colony of approximately 10,000 gulls, juveniles and adults, is located in the area. 

“The gulls affected by the oily substance are very weak, so they will be humanely euthanized according to American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines. The decision to humanely euthanize the birds was based on the poor condition of the gulls as well as the fact that the Cleveland-area gull population is overly abundant. There has been an ongoing effort in recent years to lower the population of gulls via egg addling to help reduce the population and the number of human-wildlife conflicts. A good example of a conflict situation includes the problems experienced at recent Cleveland Indians games where gulls have become severe nuisances. 

“It would not be prudent of us as an agency to spend valuable wildlife resource monies trying to rehabilitate these gulls when there has been an ongoing reduction plan in place,” Kramer explained. 

Crews are working diligently to gather affected gulls and transport the birds out of the area. Anyone who has information that might reveal the source of the pollution should call the OEPA at 330-963-1191.