Spike in sick, starved brown pelicans has wildlife care center in need

Spike in sick, starved brown pelicans has wildlife care center in need



Brown pelicans have been coming in starved, dehydrated and in desperate need of care, officials with the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center said as they made a plea for support from the community.

A mass stranding of the species seen over the last few weeks, with birds found throughout Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, has rescue teams worried and quickly running out of supplies, said Debbie McGuire, executive director of the center in Huntington Beach.

“They are all coming in at starvation level, half their body weight,” she said. “It’s really, really bad.”

To find out more about what to do about a sick bird or how you can help the rescue center, visit to wwccoc.org.



In the past month, more than 80 brown pelicans have been brought into the center, with only 31 surviving. The center has gone through 500 pounds of fish in just the past week, McGuire said, and its supply is quickly dwindling as more of the birds are brought in by lifeguards and animal care responders throughout the region.

The reason behind the mass stranding is unclear, but McGuire said there must be something happening with their food source. Typically this time of year, the center would have only about half a dozen brown pelicans in its care, though in 2022 there was also a spike in strandings with hundreds brought in.

The birds typically dive into the ocean about 6 feet deep to forage on bait fish.

“What we know for sure is that once we start feeding them, they tend to respond – vitamins, food, liquids,” she said. “The biggest thing we need is money to buy fish.”

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/05/03/spike-in-sick-starved-brown-pelicans-has-wildlife-care-center-in-need/