Third time lucky for young pelican?
At one year of age, this immature male pelican has had his fair share of near misses being released this time after four days of intensive care.
He almost died due to ingestion of "algal toxin from the stormwater drain" that the Council hasn't remediated in 25 years.
However, this wasn't his first rescue.
"At five months of age, I rescued him with a very large hook into his foot joint that had obviously been in situ for months," said local pelican rescuer Ms Wendy Gillespie.
"Infection and other damage required 21 days of medication and specialist veterinary care.
"I hadn't seen him since he was released seven months ago and had recently been wondering about his progress.
"Then I saw him sick from the toxin in Brisbane Water while surveying for injured and sick pelicans in my kayak.
"Apart from being fully debilitated from blue-green algal toxin, he also had another light infection in the same foot joint first treated, due to a second hook injury.
"Most feet and leg injuries in pelicans are due to paddling through fishing tackle and not from discarded fishing gear.
"My four-year recreational fishing study, soon to be published, flagged that young male pelicans are at higher risk from repeated recreational fishing interaction as compared to their female counterparts.
"Over 1200 pelican rescues have been conducted on the Peninsula over 13 years with one male pelican facing his sixth rescue."
Anyone wanting to help Ms Gillespie should contact her at pelicanrescueandresearch@gmail.com.
To report any sick or injured pelicans, call 0458 975 498.
SOURCE:
Media release, 18 May 2023
Wendy Gillespie, Pelican Rescue and Research