The Rescue of a Stranded California Brown Pelican
A precious California Brown Pelican stranded on the beach with signs of starvation and dehydration. May 3, 2024 Corona del Mar State Beach
In the midst of the California Brown Pelican crisis, we're thrilled to share a glimmer of hope.
Over the last two weeks, alarming number of distressed or deceased California Brown Pelicans have been reported across the California coast. This is a devastating and beyond sad crisis. These precious Pelicans are starving, emaciated and dehydrated and urgently need help. We are thrilled to announce the successful rescue of one of the precious Pelicans affected by this devastating crisis.
Yesterday, during our search in Corona del Mar State Beach for potentially distressed Pelicans, we encountered several birds in distress that had landed on the sand. From 1 to 7 PM, we remained on the beach, monitoring the distressed Pelicans. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, some of them flew to a nearby dock. However, we rescued one precious Pelican, whom we named “Amazonite the Pelican.” We first spotted Amazonite around 2 PM when he unexpectedly landed near a large crowd of over 50 people, amidst loud music and objects being thrown. Sadly he was not feeling well at all, dehydrated, starved, and very weak.
We carefully guided Amazonite away from the crowd, but she continued to relocate to different parts of the beach. At one point, he even ventured into the parking lot, putting himself at risk of being hit by a car. Throughout the day, we remained vigilant in guarding him until rescuers arrived. Finally, Amazonite was safely transported to the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center for rehabilitation and care.
We are so happy that Amazonite was successfully rescued, as he may not have survived the night, and he could have been struck by a car. We were determined to stay by him until help arrived. We extend our thanks to everyone involved in this remarkable rescue effort and hope Amazonite the Pelican will recover quickly!
Every single Pelican is precious and every single Pelican counts. Please join us in this critical mission to save our precious Pelicans.
How You Can Help:
We are seeking volunteers to join us and help us find distressed Pelicans. We also are seeking volunteers to monitor human activities that may harm the Pelicans. The Pelicans are starving going around fishing harbors looking for fish, they are weak and unable to defend themselves if approached. Please join us to help save Pelicans. Whether you have experience in wildlife rescue or simply a passion for protecting our natural habitats, your assistance is invaluable. You’ll simply be walking along the beach while reporting any signs of distressed Pelicans.
To help us locate and report distressed Pelicans, please submit the form below, and we will provide you with further information and detailed instructions.
The Pelican Stranding Crisis:
Since Tuesday, April 23rd, a large number of California Brown Pelicans have been found in a state of emaciation and dehydration, with multiple reports of deceased pelicans discovered along the California coast. A similar situation occurred in May 2022, lasting for months and affecting hundreds of pelicans across the California coast, including San Diego. Locating these pelicans as swiftly as possible is imperative for their survival.
Signs of distress can include falling over, seizing and losing balance. If members of the public spot a pelican in distress, call the local helplines at:
Santa Barbara (805) 681-1080 (Santa Barbara Wildlife Network)
Orange County (714) 374 - 5587 Wetlands & Wildlife Center or Orange County Animal Control 714-935-6848
Orange County Animal Control after hours (949)644-3717
Los Angeles (310) 514- 2573
San Diego (800) 541- 7325
Call to Action:
In the face of this crisis, time is of the essence. Every second counts when it comes to locating and aiding a distressed Pelican and preventing further harm.
As part of our Wildlife Jewels Rescue Collective Group, we are issuing an urgent call for volunteers to join our efforts in monitoring the beaches and help us locate and report affected Pelicans. These Pelicans are showing signs of starvation and unusual behaviors, such as appearing in unusual locations and going near beachgoers for food. We need volunteers to stay near the stranded Pelicans to protect them from potential disturbances until help arrives.
Your involvement could make a lifesaving difference in the recovery of these majestic Pelicans.
Join us and together let’s work to ensure safety of our precious wildlife!
During our wildlife monitoring walk at La Jolla Cove yesterday, we were disturbed to spot and report a distressed sea lion. We spotted a male sea lion dragging himself on the sand, right flipper appearing to be tied up with a rope, looking very thin and weak.