SearchThis is a story of ingenuity and survival. The devastating wildfires in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties had repercussions for wildlife as well as for the people of the area.
Two adult female bears were found with severe burns and damage to their paws.
They were brought to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Investigations Lab where wildlife veterinarians treated the animals, all of whom were clearly in considerably pain and couldn’t stand on their paws. Recovery for burns can usually take up to 6 months and for a person or an animal with burns would usually involve a lot of human interactions as bandages would need regular renewal.
Dr. Jamie Peyton, a specialist in pain management at U.C. Davis, had read about a treatment in Brazil where sterilized fish skins were used to heal burns and help skin regenerate. After mentioning her ideas to CDFW’s Dr. Deana Clifford, who was responsible for the care of the animals, the two vets decided this was worth a try.
The bears were anesthetized and the cleaned skins sewn onto their paws and then wrapped with rice paper and corn husks to keep everything in place. A whole collection of treatments was also used to help the animals heal. In just a few weeks, new skin had grown back and the animals could stand upright.
The bears were released into the wild by Fish and Wildlife staff, wearing tracking collars so their progress could be monitored. The whole experiment supplies unique potential for the use of fish skins to heal burn wounds – and exciting prospect for the future.
