The City of Longmont announced on May 31 that rangers rescued an American White Pelican that “swallowed a fishing lure” and had “fishing line wrapped around its wing and foot” near the inlet at Union Reservoir.
The rangers first attempted to capture the bird on May 24 but were unsuccessful, according to Longmont’s public information officer Rogelio Mares. The rangers coordinated with Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to acquire nets. The pelican was finally captured on May 26. Rangers “used a kayak to corral the pelican and a bass as lure to get within range and cast a net over it.” The bird was then transferred to a dog kennel, then into an animal control vehicle for transport to Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
“The fishing lure and line had trapped the pelican’s beak mostly closed, so we think fatigue and hunger were factors that made the pelican easier to catch after a couple of days,” Mares said…