Brown
Pelican
Where Rescued: Oyster Bay
When Rescued: 11 / 22 / 06
Cause of Injury: Hypothermia
This young
Female Brown Pelican was found beside the Highway 19A at Oyster Bay
and picked up by MARS Volunteers. She was first reported to MARS
Staff on November 17th sitting on a sea pen off Comox
Wharf by the manager around 4:00 pm. Due to increasing loss of
daylight and the distance needed to drive, a Comox Valley Naturalist
was enlisted to verify the sighting. After the bird was positively
identified a search commenced the following morning along the shores
of Comox Harbour with no success.
After
searching the reports on the internet and through conversations with
other BC Wildlife Rehab Network members it was determined that there
were approximately 4 Brown pelicans that had scattered along the BC
Coast. These are rare to our west coast of BC waters – not normally
found but here but they have been seen in local waters in the past.
This young
bird was very hypothermic and was examined by local veterinarian Dr.
Stacey Gastis. No other injuries were obvious except for a possible
trauma to the tip of her beak. International Bird Rescue in San
Pedro California were contacted, weight and blood values were taken
and protocols of care are followed. She is presently eating 500
grams of fish per day )our thanks to
Walcan Seafood for
the donation of herring) and is waiting for export to San Pedro where
she will join others in a 90 foot pre-release conditioning pool.
