‘Someone is brutally hurting these animals’: More than 30 pelicans found mutilated on California beaches
Police are looking for a suspect accused of viciously attacking and mutilating more than 30 brown pelicans in south California’s Orange County.
Wildlife organisation Wetlands and Wildlife Care Centre said on Monday that they have found these injured birds on the Orange County coast between San Clemente and Huntington Beach over the past eight months.
“These are very serious injuries that require emergency surgeries and long term care,” veterinarian Dr Elizabeth Wood said in a statement.
A total of 32 injured pelicans have been found so far by the organisation, and around 22 of them had their wings broken, many had bone fractures that protruded from their skin. The organisation, after examining the injuries says the nature of the attack makes them believe someone has been doing it deliberately.
“It was just wrong on every level,” Debbie Wayns, the centre’s operations manager, told the New York Times. “There was no question that a person or persons did this.”
“The type of damage that’s happening with these pelicans, someone is brutally hurting these animals,” she said.
Ms Waynes also told NYT that out of the 32 birds her organisation rescued so far, only 10 lived.
An investigation has been initiated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with the local authorities to find the person or people responsible. The organisation is also requesting anyone with more information to contact the authorities.
Pelicans are large but harmless birds that feed on fish and occasionally amphibians. They can be easily lured with food and despite their size, they are unable to defend themselves from attacks by humans. They were on the list of endangered species for decades till 2009 and are still protected under the migratory bird treaty. It is illegal to harm a brown pelican, according to California and federal laws.
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