A petrel badly covered in oil has been put down and the wildlife centre in Te Maunga is bracing for an influx of more animals.
As the Rena continues to spew oil into the water off the Tauranga coast, veterinarians and volunteers are preparing for a marked increase in numbers.
Director Dr Brett Gartrell said the centre had now received 14 live oiled birds - including nine little blue penguins, two pied shags and three petrels - but 10 times this number could be dead.
One of the petrels was unable to be saved.
"We've had one we've had to euthanase because it was so badly oiled. It couldn't stand up. There was no way he was going to make it through the washing process," he said.
There were also three oiled penguins found on Motiti Island yesterday. They were being kept on the island yesterday to be stabilised by vets before being transported to the Te Maunga centre last night for rehabilitation.
Dr Gartrell said the wildlife centre would continue to increase its size and scope.
"We're scaling up. We expect more and more birds," he said.
While the majority of affected animals so far have been seabirds, the extent of the pollution will extend much further, damaging everything in its path.
"The oil will be having a toxic affect on all marine life. This amount of oil is going to have a huge affect on their area. There are more dead birds coming in. There's been four brought in this morning," he said.
The total of number of dead birds discovered so far is unclear, but wildlife centre staff said it is in the "tens". The number of birds found is estimated to be only about 10 per cent of the total affected. Dr Gartrell said that if 20 have been found, there would be about 200 dead, many of which will have drowned after becoming oiled. There have also been reports of seals being affected.
No oiled seals have yet been recovered but the wildlife facility has the ability to cope with them if they are found oiled.
Although the area is now awash in oil, Dr Gartrell said he expects the marine wildlife to recover.
"Wherever the oil is around it's going to depress the area. Once we get rid of the oil I expect the area to bounce back in about a year," he said.
"If we get rid of the oil."