Pelican Protection Alert

Pelecanus occidentalis

Photographer: Robert Hamilton
copyright © 2011 Robert Hamilton

SurfWriter Girls’ contact in Sacramento at the Department of Fish and Game asked us to spread the word about the current danger to pelicans from anglers’ nets and hooks. As part of our commitment to protecting the environment, we all need to take precautions so that pelicans don’t get caught up in our fishing lines or caught on deadly hooks.

The DFG announced that “Hundreds of birds, including the fully protected California brown pelican, have been injured or killed in recent years after becoming hooked or entangled…while trying to snag the bait at the end of a fishing line.”

Pelicans are particularly vulnerable because they often roost on the ends of fishing piers and jetties where anglers cast their lines. “To make matters worse,” says the DFG, “many pelicans linger in areas where anglers clean their fish...and are becoming contaminated with fish oil. Fish oils compromise seabirds’ natural waterproofing and insulation, making them vulnerable to hypothermia when cold ocean water contacts their skin.”

Steps we can take to protect pelicans:

·         Don’t cast fishing lines in close proximity to them

·         Don’t feed the birds or throw scraps to them.

·         Dispose of fish-cleaning scraps in secure containers

·         Call wildlife rescue organizations if you see injured birds

Don't try to capture injured birds yourself. Let wildlife rescue workers transport them to safety.

BRPE in carrier-Gulf Spill_2010: USCG photo

Some of the organizations you can contact are:

Orange	Huntington Beach	Wetlands & Wildlife	714-374-5587
Los Angeles	Long Beach	All Wildlife Rescue & Education	562-434-0141
Los Angeles	Los Angeles	Animal Advocates	323-651-1336
Los Angeles	Malibu	California Wildlife Center	818-222-2658
Los Angeles	Palos Verdes	South Bay Wildlife Rehab.	310-378-9921

By taking a few precautions we can all enjoy the beach without putting California’s pelicans at risk.

BRPEinFlight-cDonDesJardin: Photo (c) Don DesJardin

In case you didn’t know, the pelican is one of the heaviest birds capable of flight and can weigh more than 15 pounds with a wing span up to 9 feet. It flies with its head tucked under and doesn’t plunge into the water to get its prey, preferring, instead, to feed while swimming.

BRPE Splash-PK5_2001: CA DFG photo

The pelican even has a well-known limerick in its honor, said to have been written by American poet and humorist Ogden Nash (1902 – 1971):

 

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belly can.
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week,
But I’m damned if I see how the helican.