Rescuing a Pelican with a Broken Wing in an Irrigation Channel

Occurred on June 15, 2021 / Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia

Info from Licensor: We were called to a pelican with a broken wing swimming in an irrigation channel just outside the rural Victorian town, Mooroopna. Having attended many of these types of rescues, Kirsty, the owner-operator of Bohollow Wildlife Shelter, knew that the fastest and easiest way to catch the pelican was to enter the channel. She took off her shoes and slid in. With the help of her son, Daniel, and myself she was able to quickly capture the bird.
Unfortunately due to the bird's injury, it was unable to be saved. However, Bohollow Wildlife Shelter rescues many pelicans throughout the year and has successfully released many of them back into the wild after rehabilitation.
Bohollow Wildlife Shelter is a registered licensed wildlife shelter in Victoria, Australia that receives no government funding and has been providing 24/7 wildlife rescue and care to Northern Central Victoria for 28 years. They are a non-profit charity and rely on donations to keep our community service up and running. We attend hundreds of rescues each year.