MIAMI (WSVN) - An injured pelican is on the road to recovery after being found with a hook in its mouth.

The seabird is flying to recovery after undergoing surgery to get the hook, which could have been fatal, removed — all under the care of the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in Miami.

Officials at the station described what they saw when the seabird first arrived at their clinic.

“This guy came in with a hook in line entanglement externally and he also had hooks in his GI tract, in his stomach,” said Yaritza Acosta, the rehabilitation manager at the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station.

To be certain, crews conducted a screening X-ray on the seabird while under anesthesia. Good idea: it revealed three more hooks.

“That can definitely cause damage to the stomach and the esophagus,” said Acosta. “Sometimes the hooks aren’t so easy to come out because they have embedded into the stomach wall.”

Luckily, doctors were able to remove the three extra hooks without needing surgery.

Acosta said they have been collecting the hooks they find.

“So, every year we collect what we take out the birds,” she said. “So, this is for 2024, for this year, so we already have quite a few of hooks in line.”

Acosta said the problems usually start with pelicans hanging around people who are fishing.

“Unfortunately, it happens quite often. These guys have become accustomed to hanging out where people are fishing,” said Acosta. “People will throw them fish, people don’t dispose of their fishing tackle properly, these guys try to go for their bait, or they’re hunting in those areas, and they accidentally get entangled and things like that.”

Following the surgery, workers at the seabird station did a checkup on the pelican, and they said he’s looking good.

“He has some new feathers coming in, which is a good sign,” said Acosta. “These were feathers that went missing ’cause of the entanglement. He’s got good extension, and the joints feel normal, as they should.”

Acosta provided tips for the public if they see one of these feathered friends nearby.

“It’s very important to never feed wildlife — no matter how cute they look, how much they’re begging — because they do get accustomed to being fed by humans, and then they want to hang around humans more,” she said, “and that’s when they start getting into trouble, especially young ones like this juvenile. They’re out for the first time, it’s their first year or their second year on their own and will quickly learn that humans can provide food.”

Acosta said the station normally gives rescued birds, like this pelican, a week of outside time at their facility before they even consider releasing them back into the wild.

The pelican is expected to undergo another checkup next week to make sure he is ready to go.

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