Kind Man Uses Kiddie Pool to Care for Injured Pelican

When conservationist Naude Dreyer of Ocean Conservation Namibia got a call about an injured pelican, he brought the bird home, where he and his family cared for her using a kiddie pool until she could be released back into the wild.

Man lends kids’ pool to injured pelican until she was released into the wild!

It turns out that the pelican had gotten hit by a car near a local lagoon. Luckily, the injuries weren’t too severe.

 I got a call this morning about an adult Pelican wondering around the streets in town, which is very unusual behavior. ent to catch her, again and brought her to my little wildlife rehab center at home. …Seems the bird was hit by a car but probably just a bit concussed and confused, and likely quite sore. It doesn’t look like the wings are broken which is a miracle. 

Dreyer attended to the pelican, whom his daughters named Elsa because of her white feathers, bathing her in a kiddie pool when she and her wounds needed washing. He also hid her medicines in food for her to catch in the pool.

unday afternoons are for washing your Pelican Elsa (my daughters decided on that one) is doing well. She got X-rayed and seems to intact with a bit of light damage. Probably flew into something during massive winds we had last week. She is on a course of antibiotics and eating exceptionally well

Elsa was returned to the wild on December 3, 2019.

After 2 weeks of rehabilitation at my home, including x-rays, antibiotics, vitamins, rest and recovery, she was ready to fly again. She flew 200meters initially (she was totally unable to fly when I got her). She then settled amongst some flamingos and really seemed to enjoy being back at the ocean again.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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