Please don't feed the PELICANS!
It's obvious that some people have been feeding the pelicans up on the deck of the pier at the cleaning station. All that does is to attract more pelicans (pelican-poop) to the fish cleaning station, which is essentially a food processing area. There are signs at that location for that reason.
Some people may ask - "What's the difference between feeding them on the pier and feeding them (by throwing the carcasses over the rail) as they gather in the water below the cleaning station?" The answer lies in -- where the poop goes. When they're in the water, they poop in the water. That's where it belongs and where it would go, naturally, not on the cleaning table!
Sam’s back with another injury!
:(
Orange Beach Wildlife Center and Management Program
There aren’t many pelicans that will allow you to handle and hold them the way Sam will. His friendliness however is the exact reason why he has to visit us so often. He has become the beloved mascot at the Gulf State Park-Alabama pier. He is notorious for getting free hand outs from fisherman, tourist and everyone in between. Due to his socialization, he expects to be fed by people and when he isn’t offered food, he has no problem attempting to steal it from a fisherman. Often times while it is still connected to a fishing line and hook, putting himself in a very dangerous situation. Sam has had an injured leg, surgery to remove a swallowed treble hook, many gashes that required antibiotics to heal, and more. He is here with us for another round of recovery due to a wound probably caused by a hook. It is a pretty deep gash and the risk of infection is high. We unfortunately see so many shorebirds that have the same habituated tendencies that Sam does. Many of those birds have not been as lucky and have died as a result of their hook and line related injuries.
Please do not feed any wildlife, no matter how tempting. If you accidentally hook a bird, please do not cut the line. If you see injured wildlife, please report to our hotline at
844-303-WILD (9453)
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