INDIAN SHORES, Fla. — The official bird of St. Pete is facing a dangerous situation — rescuers say right now they are seeing an uptick in injured brown pelicans.
At the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, medical staff and volunteers are tending to cages of the once-endangered birds.
“We've got a little almost 80 birds that we're actively treating right now,” Avian Hospital Director Melissa Edwards said. “All ages of pelicans. Many of them are coming in with fishing line and hook-related injuries and others just signs of starvation and failing to thrive.”
Edwards says these winter months are especially bad for the pelicans, the older ones getting ready for nesting and the younger ones searching for sustenance.
“A lack of food resources for them and then you combine that with our peak tourism season a lot more people out on the piers fishing, unfortunately, it leads to some bad consequences for them,” Edwards added.
She’s urging people to be mindful and says you should never feed them if you see them in the wild. Many of the younger pelicans are seeking fishing piers for an easy meal opportunity.
“Fishing is a wonderful sport, it can be a lot of fun, but we need to keep in mind that these birds you know, rely on these same areas and they're just trying to live their lives. So it's something we need to take responsibility for and preventing those injuries and preventing those situations where birds will become injured,” Edwards explained.
If you accidentally hook one while fishing, never cut the line, safely reel them in and call the sanctuary or the closest pelican rescuer. Being swift can put them in necessary care, so they can be treated and return to the skies.
Just three months ago, FWC enacted new fishing regulations on the Skyway Pier, where countless birds have been injured. That includes banning certain types of rigs during this time of the year.
“They're really a staple, especially into the Tampa Bay areas. So it's important for us to be considerate of them and we get to enjoy them year-round,” she added.
The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is open to visitors every day and operates completely on private donors, if you’d like to help their cause, click here.