SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Cali. (WSVN) — A pelican was found in snowy Sacramento, California but some local residents were able to help it get back in the air. Officials believe it flew off course and found itself trapped.
“I’m gonna come in behind it with one arm.”
A pelican was spotted in the snow in South Lake Tahoe and appeared to be lost and injured.
Cell phone video captured the group effort as neighbors helped to rescue it. Two men cornered the big bird as it flapped its enormous wings. The rescue attracted more onlookers before their mission to untrap the pelican was a success.
“They got em! Wow! Look how beautiful,” said one person in the video footage.
The people who rescued the pelican took it to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care where Greg Erfani works.
“When you see an animal that’s not really from the area and it’s injured and it’s on the ground, especially a bird. It’s always best to call us,” said Erfani. “They get blown off course, so they hit a little jet stream and think, ‘Oh this is cool’ and then all of a sudden they’re like ‘Where am I?'”
The American white pelican was likely making an early trip to its Lake Pyramid breeding ground, located east of Lake Tahoe when witnesses said it hit a power line.
They said they were tracking the animal for 20 minutes before it took a wild turn in the lake.
After being treated and fed veterinarians said the bird is ready to be returned to the wild.
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