A WORKER with California’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network cleans a surf scoter, one of at least 2,500 birds oiled by the 53,500- gallon Cosco Busan fuel-oil spill in San Francisco Bay in 2007. The network has been studying oiled wildlife since the mid- 1990s to improve cleaning techniques.

New research indicates that the answer is a cautious yes, although spills in the Gulf ofMexico and elsewhere suggest considerable improvement is still needed

� BY JOHN CAREY � AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 | WWW.NWF.ORG | 31 |

MICHAEL MACOR (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE)