MIAMI (WSVN) - After a tough few months, an American white pelican has found a new home right here in South Florida.
Penny was found weak, injured, and filled with parasites by a family in Ontario, Canada last summer.
The Canadian family took care of the animal, fed him, and they took the pelican to a local wildlife center for additional treatment.
Doctors at the center determined that Penny was unable to live in the wild, due to its injuries.
The family taking care of the pelican knew they couldn’t take care of the animal long-term, so they set out to find a new home for Penny.
Months later, the center connected with the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in Miami and the station decided to add Penny to their family of pelicans.
Cellphone video showed the pelican being boarded on the trunk of a car, headed to a Delta flight that landed in Miami International Airport on Dec. 15.
After a long ride from Canada to Miami, the pelican arrived at the Seabird Station and officials said he is doing well so far.
“If he does well with our permanent pelicans, then we’ll go ahead and add him to our permit and he’ll pretty much live his days here as an education pelican and be on display and possibly go to programs if we decide we want to train him for that,” said Rehab Manager at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station Yaritza Acosta.
The Canadian family said they plan on visiting Penny soon at the Seabird Station because they feel Penny became a part of their family.
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