Updates On 26th Feb 2014

YOU’LL NEVER GUESS WHAT THIS PELICAN SWALLOWED

First Hand Account & Photo by Laura Guttridge (Florida, U.S.A.)

“I recently assisted our local animal control officer Bruce Dangerfeild in the rescue of two injured pelicans at a Riverside boat ramp in Vero Beach Florida. When I first arrived I noticed the pelicans both had grotesque-looking bulges in their necks, and what appeared to be hooks poking out of their necks.

We tried to lure the injured pelicans away from the water with some bits of food. Many of the other healthy animals were eagerly eating the food, but the injured birds were unable to eat, and just pathetically looked down at it.

Fortunately, with the assistance of a third person we were able to get one of the injured birds away from the water. After cornering the animal, Bruce was able to net him! I held the bird�s large struggling body, while the other rescuer held the beak open, and Bruce pulled out his pliers. What was stuck in that poor animal�s throat was a complete shock to me. It was the severed head of a catfish. Apparently what was poking out of the bird�s neck wasn�t hooks like I thought, but instead it was the thorn-like barbels (barbs) on the catfish.

Fortunately, we were also able to rescue the other injured bird as well, and he too had a severed catfish head lodged in the same manner in his throat. We then made sure to properly discard the catfish heads so that other pelicans wouldn�t become victims as well.

Since this all occurred near a fish cleaning station, I�m assuming that these two pelicans must have been injured after eating scraps from fishermen. If the fisherman had simply cut the barbs off the catfish heads before tossing them in the water a lot of suffering could have been easily prevented.

Please be careful about the scraps you feed pelicans, and other birds. What may seem harmless can be deadly.”

IF YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL RESCUE STORY TO SHARE, PLEASE VISIT:

The Great Animal Rescue http://harmonyfund.org/the-great-animal-rescue

Source: http://www.facebook.com/GreatAnimalRescueChase/photos/a.1351..

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The Great Animal Rescue Chase celebrates the art of animal rescue with a worldwide race to rescue one million. It’s a free event, open to all, and is perhaps the only global animal rescue event aimed at helping any animal in distress, anywhere in the world. Our ambition is to create a culture of enthusiasm and pride in animal activism. We believe in teaching, by example, that there is a hero in each of us just waiting to be unleashed. Empowered animal lovers can not only save lives, but build the momentum for powerful animal welfare reform.

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