When rangers in Colorado set out to save a pelican with a lure in its beak, it wasn’t exactly the catch of the day they had in mind.
What’s happening?
As reported by the Longmont Leader, rangers spotted an American white pelican near the inlet at Union Reservoir. The pelican was struggling after it “swallowed a fishing lure” and had “fishing line wrapped around its wing and foot.”
The initial rescue attempt failed, but with help from the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, the rangers returned equipped with nets. Using a kayak and even a bass as bait, they were able to lure the weakened bird and safely trap it.
“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,” city spokesperson Rogelio Mares said…