Birds return to Broughshane park after oil spill killed 13

Birds rescued after an oil spill have returned to Broughshane Waterfowl Park in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, where contamination killed 13 members of the flock. The attraction has reopened, but work to remove the remaining oil is continuing and several enclosures remain out of bounds, BBC News reported.

Gary Hayward, chairman of the Broughshane Environment Wildfowl and Wildlife Trust, said about 10 to 12 birds had returned, including two black swans and nenes. They were safely back in their pens after receiving specialist care from the USPCA, which helped treat birds affected by the spill.

The contamination followed vandalism to a nearby heating oil tank, sending fuel into the park’s pond and forcing its temporary closure. Police said approximately 200 litres had escaped from a damaged tank at business premises in the Main Street area of Broughshane. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency identified the substance as heating oil, or kerosene.

More than 20 birds were taken to the USPCA’s headquarters for urgent treatment. The charity said affected ducks, geese and swans needed bathing and medical care because of the contamination. Some had already swallowed too much oil and did not survive, making the rescue operation more than a matter of cleaning their feathers.

Earlier accounts from the community trust described how flooding had complicated the initial response. According to reporting by Love Ballymena, enclosures were already submerged when the oil entered the park’s waters through the drainage system. A volunteer arriving to feed the birds discovered them heavily contaminated, prompting efforts to recover the affected animals despite difficult weather.

The losses have been particularly painful for the volunteers who maintain the community attraction and care for its birds. In an earlier interview with Ballymena Now, Hayward said two long-standing trumpeter swans were among those that died. He described volunteers’ distress and warned that damage to an oil tank could have consequences far beyond the property where it stood.

The response has involved veterinary treatment alongside environmental cleanup. Local reporting also described emergency assistance from Clare Vets, which washed and treated rescued birds and kept them warm and dry overnight. The trust subsequently appealed for financial support to help restore the park after the losses and disruption.

Hayward told BBC News NI that the environment agency had removed most of the oil, although some remained around the edges of the affected areas. The birds’ return therefore marks progress rather than the completion of recovery. The park has thanked the USPCA and members of the public for their support throughout the response.

Further use of the restricted pens will depend on the remaining contamination being cleared, Hayward said. Police enquiries into the vandalism are continuing, and anyone with information has been asked to come forward.