Pelican Released Back Into Wild Of San Joaquin Wetlands

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — The International Bird Rescue Los Angeles has released a rehabilitated white pelican back into the wild in the San Joaquin Wetlands. In December, 2017 this white pelican was found in severe distress and many thought he wouldn't make it.

"He ended up in someone's front yard, and they called the Newport Beach Police Department, who took the bird to a wildlife care center in Huntington Beach," Angie Trumbo of the International Bird Rescue.

If a bird ends up in someone's front yard, it's not doing very well. This scared boy had fishing line around his foot and a fracture to his jaw, according to the International Bird Rescue.

"He had a fracture where his mandible (lower jaw) joins, it was caved in on itself," she said. "He's been a trooper through this."

The bird was released in front of a large audience, took flight, eventually joining other pelicans.

The pelican, brought to the International Bird Rescue in San Pedro on Nov. 22, was set free Thursday afternoon, reported live by Newport Beach Police Department's Jennifer Manzella. "We are all so proud of this pelican story," she said.

Animal Control Officer Nick Ott, who rescued the pelican and got him to a veterinarian, "was given the honor of opening the carrier to release him," at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, Trumbo said.

The pelican "walked right out, stretched out his wings... took his time getting to the water," before taking flight and joining a group of other pelicans, Trumbo said. In the above video, the pelican is seen posturing the crowd with a few jaw snaps, showing the fine work of the vets who saved his mandible. Proof positive that he was ready to rejoin his fellow feathered friends.

In the days preceding his release the pelican was "very feisty" and "restless," Trumbo said.

The bird is nearly double the weight he was when he first was taken to veterinarians, Trumbo said.

The pelican got tangled up in a fishing lure and ended up at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine. Attempts to rescue the bird there failed, and he took flight and made it to a driveway in Newport Beach where a resident called authorities.

Ott managed to catch the frightened and disoriented bird and get it to the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, where the fishing lure was removed and he was stabilized so he could be taken for more comprehensive care at the International Bird Rescue in San Pedro.

"When he initially came in the severity of the fracture of his bill made us think we weren't sure how well that would turn out, but our veterinarian is the best one in the area for handling those types of breaks and has handled similar fractures on many brown pelicans," Trumbo said.

"He's definitely a fighter. He went through a lot for sure," Trumbo said.

The broken bill prevented the pelican from eating, Trumbo said.
It was unusual to track down the pelican near the ocean, because white pelicans are fresh-water birds, Trumbo said.

Newport Beach Police Department, courtesy photos