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SEA OTTER RESCUE: The Aftermath of an Oil Spill by Roland Smith

SEA OTTER RESCUE: The Aftermath of an Oil Spill

By

Pub Date: Sept. 1st, 1990
ISBN: 014056621X
Publisher: Cobblehill/Dutton

Over 300 volunteers from around the world took part in the rescue of sea otters threatened by the 11 million-gallon Alaskan oil spill in March 1989. Smith recounts the grounding of the Valdez and his firsthand experiences as part of the Seward Otter Rescue Center, a facility set up by Exxon at a cost of $2 million and with a monthly operating budget of $1 million. While some may find this no-fault description of the disaster offensive, Smith provides a fascinating look at dedicated individuals improvising tools and techniques in a desperate attempt to help the otters. His clear, action-filled color photos include many appealing shots of volunteers and otters. While the author indicates that ""This is a story of survival"" and notes that, of the 342 otters brought to the center, ""nearly 75% were saved,"" he also states that ""well over a thousand"" died as a result of the spill. Inspirational and sobering. Glossary; index.