Oiled Wildlife Care Network now accepting research proposals

The OWCN is currently seeking research proposals from wildlife professionals interested in furthering OWCN goals for the 2010-2011 funding period.  In particular, proposals investigating the direct and indirect effects of oil on wildlife, baseline biomedical studies and improvements to oiled rehabilitation techniques are strongly encouraged.

The Oiled Wildlife Care Network’s mission is to strive to ensure that wildlife exposed to petroleum in the environment receive the best achievable recovery and treatment by providing access to permanent wildlife rehabilitation facilities and trained personnel in California. As part of this mission, the OWCN supports research on improving oiled wildlife spill response and understanding of the effects of oil on wildlife.

The OWCN sponsors up to $250,000 per year to support research and technology development efforts, which can be multi-year in nature. A Request for Proposals (RFP) is sent out each year in mid-March. Projects are reviewed by the OWCN and its Scientific Advisory Committee, and funding for accepted proposals begins in October. Since 1996, over 100 projects have been sponsored, and over $2 million has been allocated to improve OWCN’s understanding of how oil affects wildlife.

For more details on grant guidelines, application deadlines and to download the Request for Proposals, view the OWCN website research page.