MIAMI (WSVN) - A pelican that underwent life-saving surgery was released back into the wild after months of rehabilitation, marking a significant milestone for the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in Miami where the bird was treated.
The pelican, which suffered a severe beak fracture possibly caused by fishing line, was admitted to the facility in April in critical condition.
“It is possible that this pelican had fishing line that caused the beak fracture in the first place, but we’re not 100% sure — all we know is that he had a fracture on the lower right side of his beak when he came in,” said Dr. Renata Schneider with the seabird station.
Veterinarians performed a complex procedure involving deep sedation, intubation, and the installation of three surgical screws along with a stabilizing bar on the beak.
“He had a procedure called a beak replacement. So, it involved deep sedation, gas, being intubated, pain medication, and we actually drilled into the beak, three special surgical screws and then attached a bar on the outside to stabilize the beak and allow us to do wound care on the beak,” explained Dr. Schneider.
The recovery was challenging, but after 60 days of care, the pelican began to show significant improvement.
“We’ve had a few cases of pelicans with fractured beaks over the years, it’s unusual they make it all the way to release because the tissue is so delicate and the way that they dive to catch their fish, it has to heal 100% perfectly so this is our first pelican that had surgery for a fractured beak that is having a successful release today,” Dr. Schneider added.
This release is particularly special as it not only highlights the pelican’s recovery but also underscores the recent advances in veterinary medicine.
“Our ultimate goal is to release birds back into the wild that will have a full, normal life but also continue to breed and make more pelicans to replenish the population in South Florida,” said a staff member from the seabird station.
The successful rehabilitation and release of this pelican stand as a testament to the dedication and skill of the veterinarians and staff at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station.
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