After a life-changing expertise in the course of the 2011 Rena Oil Spill in New Zealand, Tina Hansen lastly made her method to California to volunteer at Chicken Rescue’s Los Angeles Wildlife Heart – reconnecting with the group that first impressed her.
An Sudden Spark
Her story started in New Zealand, the place what was meant to be a dream journey to look at the Rugby World Cup changed into frontline work throughout one of many nation’s worst environmental disasters. Within the early morning hours of October 5, 2011, the MV Rena, a big cargo ship carrying 1,368 containers, struck a reef in New Zealand’s Bay of Lots, spilling a number of hundred metric tons of heavy gasoline.
With no prior expertise dealing with wildlife, Tina joined Maritime NZ’s clean-up efforts, making ready meals for lots of of affected Little Blue Penguins, holding them throughout feedings, and taking up “trolley obligation” – ferrying the penguins to and from waterproofing swimming pools to verify they received loads of day by day swim time. To make the job much more enjoyable, the crew adorned the wagon with penguin photographs throughout it, like a parade float.
The Rena Spill expertise impressed Tina to vary her profession path. Although she had simply earned a Bachelor’s Diploma in Kinesiology, she went on to earn superior diplomas in Forest Know-how and Fish & Wildlife Know-how, labored in forestry for 4 years, and accomplished a Grasp’s Diploma in Environmental Administration.
It was additionally in the course of the spill that she first crossed paths with Michelle Bellizzi, who was responding on behalf of Chicken Rescue. Michelle inspired her to contemplate an internship. After the response ended, Tina returned house to Ontario, Canada, and for years, the concept remained solely a dream. However the spark by no means light.
Carrying the Spark Ahead
When the timing lastly aligned, Tina made that dream a actuality and flew to Los Angeles to volunteer at Chicken Rescue in February 2025.
Whereas the common Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship Program is a full-time three-month dedication, workers made a uncommon exception to adapt the schedule into one intensive month to accommodate her worldwide journey. This ensured she may nonetheless acquire significant, hands-on expertise. Interns have gone on to work as Wildlife Rehabilitation Technicians for Chicken Rescue, start veterinary faculty, and construct careers in animal care and conservation.
One in all her most gratifying moments was releasing a Nice Blue Heron she had helped take care of – feeding, cleansing its enclosure, and holding the chicken throughout exams. She additionally recalled the tougher days, working with birds that arrived severely injured and couldn’t be saved.
“However what else is memorable about that day is how properly the workers dealt with themselves and used every part as a studying alternative,” she stated. “I additionally realized the worth of laughter in an surroundings that may in any other case turn out to be actually heavy.”
At this time, Tina applies the teachings and keenness she found in the course of the Rena Spill to her work in environmental administration. She helps monitoring tasks utilizing path cameras and bioacoustic recorders, conducts chicken and turtle surveys, and creates academic supplies about species in danger. She additionally works with native models to stop human–wildlife battle, together with serving to communities cut back attractants that may result in bear encounters.
Her dedication stays the identical because it was 14 years in the past: serving to particular person animals and supporting their ecosystems.
