Wildlife rescue officials are working to locate and care for animals that were impacted by a crude oil spill that entered storm drains and flowed into the Los Angeles River last week.
It’s believed a construction crew accidentally hit a pipeline while laying fiber-optic cable on Friday. The pipeline was shut down, but not before over 2,000 gallons of crude oil spilled.
Over the weekend, officials rescued at least 25 oil-covered birds from the area. They were sent to a wildlife treatment center in San Pedro.
The Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) was activated and has been working with responders from UC Davis, Aquarium of the Pacific, Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center, and International Bird Rescue to collect and transport oiled birds from the area for initial care and stabilization.
Once they’re rescued and stabilized, the animals are being transported to the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care & Education Center (LAOBCEC), where responders are cleaning the birds.
Officials clean up oiled birds in photos posted to Oiled Wildlife Care Network’s Facebook page on Sunday, May 24, 2026. (OWCN)
On May 22, the ruptured pipeline released approximately 2,400 gallons of crude oil along a major East Los Angeles street and into nearby storm drains, prompting a major cleanup operation. The leak, near Cesar Chavez and Eastern avenues, was controlled and is no longer spilling crude oil in the streets, officials announced.
Crews are making progress on the spill, strengthening containment measures as cleanup and crude oil recovery efforts continue.
Outreach teams were also warning unhoused individuals along the riverbank about the contamination.
If you encounter oiled wildlife, please report it immediately to the OWCN hotline at 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926). Please do not attempt to capture or handle oiled wildlife yourself.
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