Pelican Injured by Fishing Hook Rescued From Indian River Lagoon By Florida Wildlife Hospital

transported to Florida Wildlife Hospital by Wild Florida Rescue

BREVARD COUNTY • PAML BAY, FLORIDA — A Brown Pelican was found near the Indian River Lagoon in Palm Bay and transported to Florida Wildlife Hospital by Wild Florida Rescue earlier this month. The pelican had an extended metal leader line protruding from its mouth.

Wild Florida veterinary staff performed an examination and X-rays and found a huge fish hook at the other end of the line in the patient’s ventriculus, also known as the stomach.

The hook was so large it could be felt through the skin within the pelican’s stomach.

To prevent it from traveling any further into the gastrointestinal tract and doing additional damage, veterinary technicians secured the free end of the line to the pelican’s beak until our veterinarian was able to try to remove it.

As Dr. April was anesthetizing the pelican the following day, the extraction was made very easy by regurgitating the hook up into the esophagus where she was able to easily reach in through their mouth and remove it – no surgery needed. The X-rays show the position of the hook and line during anesthesia.

“This is one lucky Peli!” Said a spokesperson from FWH. “Unfortunately, many are not so lucky. You never know what animal could be stuck in a fishing line, hooks, and other debris. Proper disposal of fishing gear and not cutting the line if a fisherman hooks a bird or turtle is very important!”

Please dispose of fishing material and pick up litter around our waterways. You could save an animal’s life by doing so. Thank you to the FWH vet staff for their amazing work.

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