Dozens of pelicans turn up sick and distressed in California. Group searches for clues
As pelicans turn up sick and distressed in California, staff at a wildlife rescue are doing their best to care for them — and are searching for answers in the process.
The SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center has rescued dozens of sick pelicans since April 19, the center said on Facebook on Wednesday, May 8. About a dozen of the birds came from another wildlife rescue that asked the SPCA for help.
A total of 68 rescued pelicans are thin or emaciated with poor blood values, and none of them can fly, the center said.
“They are … in need of immediate rescue,” the group said. “We are stabilizing the rescued pelicans, most of which are in serious to critical condition.”
A photo shows just over a dozen pelicans resting in a partially shaded enclosure. The pelicans eat between 25 and 50 pounds of fish per day, and the center needs help funding its rescue effort.
The group doesn’t yet know exactly what’s making the pelicans sick, but rescuers suspect it might be a food source issue.
Anyone who sees a pelican in distress should contact the group for help.
This story was originally published May 9, 2024 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Dozens of pelicans turn up sick and distressed in California. Group searches for clues."
