Saving Pelicans

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net (pictured here) to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!

On a recent trip to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier with Friends of the Pelicans (https://www.friendsofthepelicans.org/), we found nine injured pelicans, and one great blue heron which we failed to catch and save. All had fishing hooks in them. Many were entangled in fishing lines. One had a mysterious head injury. Volunteers from Friends of the Pelicans caught the birds and removed the hooks. Eight of them still had to be taken to a bird hospital. Out of respect for these birds, each of the ones I got pictures of will get a separate observation.
How can you help?

1. If you hook a pelican (or another bird), Never cut the line! Cut off the hook’s barb and back the hook out of the bird.
2. If you find a bird in need of assistance or hospitalization, call a licensed wildlife rescue center.
3. While fishing, be aware of birds in the area.
4. Never feed pelicans. Feeding them will make them more likely to beg from fishers and put them at higher risk for entanglement.

5. If you are on a tall pier, don’t try to reel in the bird. Use a cast-net to catch it.
   Thank you everyone for caring about our pelicans!