Injured Pelican Knocks on American Research Institute Door... Receives Direct Treatment From Researchers

Fishing Line and Hooks Embedded in Pelican's Wing

Researchers Treat and Release the Bird Back to the Wild

A story has emerged about an injured pelican that arrived at an American marine research institute, knocked on the door itself, and received treatment from researchers.

Pelican Taps on Research Institute Door With its Beak... Unable to Fly Due to Wing Injury

According to the Washington Post, on September 8, a knocking sound was heard at the back door of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Research Institute in Panama City, Florida.

A biologist went to check the source of the sound and found a pelican standing in front of the door. The pelican was pecking continuously at the door with its long beak, calmly staying in place as if waiting for help.

Upon inspecting the pelican, researchers found that fishing line was wrapped around its wing, with barbed hooks lodged deep into it. This made it difficult for the pelican to fly properly. About 12 cactus spines were also embedded in its left foot.

Ainsley Hilton, a 26-year-old researcher from the University of Miami who was working at the institute at the time, initially thought someone had brought in the injured pelican after hearing the commotion. However, she was surprised to learn that the pelican had come to the research institute by itself. Hilton said, "In theory, I thought it was possible for animals to come to the institute when they needed help, but I never imagined that such a thing would actually happen."

Hilton estimated that the pelican had traveled from a body of water in St. Andrews Bay, about 400 meters away, to the research institute.

Researchers, who usually study fish and sharks, immediately began treating the pelican. One researcher held the pelican's body and beak, while another secured its wing. Hilton used scissors to cut about 1.8 meters of fishing line. A colleague then used nippers to cut away the fishing hook, and Hilton carefully removed the barbed tip embedded in the bone with tweezers. They also extracted the cactus spines that were stuck in the left foot.

The pelican remained calm during the treatment. The process reportedly took about five minutes. After finishing the treatment, the researchers took the pelican to a nearby body of water. The pelican stretched, flapped its wings for a few minutes, and then flew off again.

"It Would Have Been Difficult to Survive Much Longer Without Help"

The Washington Post · U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Research Institute

Experts believe that without the help of the researchers, the pelican would have struggled to survive for long. Deborah Jacques, founder of the pelican research and conservation group Pelican Science, explained that a pelican unable to fly might either starve to death or be caught by a predator.

However, exactly how the pelican found its way to the research institute has not been clearly determined. Because the institute is fenced off from the road, it is unlikely that someone brought the pelican there.

Gerald Howe, a professor at Rowan University who studies avian behavior, suggested that the pelican may have recognized the research institute as a place where food could be found after previously observing researchers moving fish. He explained that the pelican, finding itself in trouble, may have sought out a place with people, hoping for help.

Another theory is that the pelican may have mistaken its reflection in the glass door for another pelican and pecked at the door, or that it stayed near the door to avoid the sun.

Hilton said that although she does not know why the pelican came to the institute, she was grateful to be present at the moment it needed help. She said, "Seeing a bird knock on the door and ask for help is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.