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Bonaire Nature & Nature Organizations: A Bonaire Pelican Story
Bonaire Talk: Bonaire Nature & Nature Organizations: Flamingos, Parrots, and other birds of Bonaire: A Bonaire Pelican Story
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #269) on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 9:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

So...we have visitors from the US with us...arrived last night. Of course they want to dive...so we take the boat out, have a nice first dive...lunch at La Balandra...then they want to cruise the shoreline of the coast south of town.

We spend about an hour slowly moving south from Harbour Village and are at Lighthouse point. I turn the boat west to head back to the marina. BUT...we see some debris in the water off our port side...looks like a paper bag.

We frequently pick up garbage (sushi in Papiamentu) from the sea...so we move closer to bag this bag.

BUT...it is not a paper bag...it is a brown pelican thrashing about in the water.

It is clearly in distress as it can not remain upright. The pelican is drowning because it can not keep its head above the water for more than a few seconds at a time.

We think it must have broken a wing or perhaps its neck diving into the water to fish.

But...as we approach it is clear that this pelican is tangled in fishing line...AND hooks.

We try to position the boat so we can bring it on board, but it keeps thrashing out of reach.

So...I turn the boat over to our friend and jump into the water to help the pelican. It tries to swim away, but can't move too quickly. As I reach it I can see that it has a hook through its beak and line wrapped around a wing and one foot.

I was able to tread water with my feet, and remove the hook from the beak. At that point, my reward was a nice pelican bite across my arm! It still was tangled with fishing line, so I could not release it.

I held its beak closed and became the "Pelican Whisperer" telling it not to bite me anymore!

The line was too tangled for me to unwrap, so my friend brought the boat near to us and cut the engines. I handed the pelican aboard, then climbed aboard myself.

The pelican was quite well mannered. It remained still on the floor of the boat while we investigated the fishing line. I turns out that there were two more hooks; one in the wing, and one in the foot. We got those removed, and I lifted the pelican over the side of the boat.

I set it gently into the water and about 2 seconds later it flew away toward shore...feathers a little ruffled, but no major damage. In fact, we saw it dive for a fish near shore.

The way we look at it, this is the luckiest pelican in the world!

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susanf (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #696) on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 10:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cool! and Kudos!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3148) on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 11:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Scott, you are right...it is the luckiest pelican in the world and you are all the luckiest folks in the world, too, to have been able to assist and save the struggling pelican. I'm glad everything worked out for everyone. How's your "love bite"?? Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Cabus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #252) on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 3:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Good job Scott!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4505) on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 8:44 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wonderful story and outcome. Thanks Scott and company!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil Berry (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3216) on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 10:30 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great job, Scott. That pelican has an angel and his name is Scott. Talk about the right place at the right time, a little later and you would have picked up a dead pelican.

I accidently tangled a bird once, a Sandpiper. After a struggle (trying desperately not to drown the bird) and a few bird kisses. I let him go on the beach, tired and ruffled.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1398) on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 11:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great...Scott!

I couldn't help it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #982) on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 11:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

What a heart warming story! I am so glad that your were able to help the poor pelican and thanks for sharing it with all of us!

 


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