Herring gulls are drowning. Not in water, in sludge.
Thirteen birds showed up on Mill Road in Peel. West Isle of Man. Coated in some unknown orange gunk. Smelled like fish oil, Manx Wild Bird Aid reported. They found many more too, scattered around. It is messy. It is tragic.
This isn’t new. The charity notes the problem has been sticking around since 2022. Same town, same trouble. Over and over.
It makes a mockery of our biosphere status, gives a terrible impression of the island’s attitude towards wildlife.
A bit harsh? Maybe. But accurate. We like to talk about our green credentials. We do. And then birds show up looking like they’ve been through an industrial runoff. The disconnect stings.
The Department of Environment, Food, and Agriculture knows. They are aware. Investigating. They take it seriously. Committed to preventing future messes.
Easy to say. Hard to enforce. Who’s pouring it? Why? The orange substance remains a mystery, but the stink lingers. 🌊
