A specialist oiled wildlife rehabilitation base has been set up in Tauranga to care for birds affected by the oil leak coming from the container ship, Rena, on Astrolabe Reef.

Specialist teams and equipment from Massey University arrived in Tauranga yesterday and have set up two bases – at Te Maunga Wastewater Treatment Plant near Bayfair and on Motiti Island.

Oiled Wildlife Response member Kerri Morgan at the wildlife rehabilitation base at Te Maunga Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Wildlife Management Response Team, Department of Conservation, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, ornithologists and volunteers will be working together to treat any oiled birds found near the oil slick and on Bay of Plenty beaches.

Four birds were found dead near the oil slick on Thursday and Oiled Wildlife Response Team member Kerri Morgan says they have set up bases and are prepared to treat further oiled birds today.

'The plan is for any oiled birds to be transported here (Te Maunga) and treated here.

'Teams have been organised and there will be field staff working on the shores around Tauranga.”

Kerri says any oiled birds will be captured and brought to Motiti Island or the base in Te Maunga to be washed, treated and rehabilitated.

'When the birds get oil on them they lose their ability to maintain their body temperature and they become hypothermic.

'We need to warm them up and rehydrate them.

'Once they are here and had some food we wash them and decontaminate the oil off them.”

Kerri says more than 40 people have been mobilised and specialist equipment and personnel will be arriving to deal with oiled fur seals.