Ocean Sentry
Wildlife rescuers from San Diego to San Francisco suddenly are facing a distressing biological mystery: Disoriented and bruised California brown pelicans are landing on highways and airport runways and in farm fields, alleys and backyards miles from their normal coastal haunts.
In the last week, the big brown birds known for flying in formation over beaches have been reported wobbling across Culver Boulevard in Playa del Rey and on a Los Angeles International Airport runway. Two dead pelicans were found on the 110 Freeway. Elsewhere, one smacked into a car.
“Pelicans have been hammered over the years by oil spills, DDT, domoic acid, fishing line, gunshots, starvation and parasites — we’re expert at dealing with those problems,” said David Weeshoff, a volunteer at the San Pedro center. “But right now, we’re scratching our heads over the cause of this event. Not a good deal.”
(From latimes.com – By Louis Sahagun)
