From Birds and Blooms · Emily Hannemann · · 1m 10s
Pelican Knocks on NOAA Door for Emergency Help
A brown pelican tangled in fishing line did something unheard of: it checked itself into a research lab for treatment.
In brief
A brown pelican tangled in fishing line did something unheard of: it checked itself into a research lab for treatment. A brown pelican entangled in fishing line knocked on a NOAA lab door and received life-saving treatment from biologists. Originally reported by Birds and Blooms.
Pelican knocks on lab door
Biologists at NOAA's Panama City lab heard knocking and found a brown pelican repeatedly rapping its beak against the door.
Tangled in fishing line
The pelican had a double-barbed treble hook embedded in its wing and cactus spines stuck in its foot.
Biologists become emergency doctors
The team used the same steady hands they use for tagging sharks to safely restrain and treat the bird.
“Using the same steady hands they use for tagging and surgically implanting acoustic tags in sharks and sawfish, the team safely restrained the bird.”
Ten minute surgery succeeds
Biologists snipped the barb, removed the hook, and freed the wing. The pelican stayed remarkably calm throughout.
Bird flies away healthy
After the successful treatment, biologists released the pelican and watched it take to the skies.
How to prevent this
NOAA urges fishermen to stow used line securely, recycle monofilament, and use barbless hooks.
Here's the gist
A brown pelican entangled in fishing line knocked on a NOAA lab door and received life-saving treatment from biologists.
