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Moss Landing group reports large number of disoriented pelicans
Wildlife rescuers report a mysterious illness has attacked pelicans along the California coast, producing a spike in reports of disoriented birds since Dec. 31.
"As a conservative number, we've seen over 60 live, sick pelicans in the last five days," said Rebecca Dmytryk, the spokesperson for WildRescue, a nonprofit wildlife rescue organization based in Moss Landing.
"As a conservative number, we've seen over 60 live, sick pelicans in the last five days," said Rebecca Dmytryk, the spokesperson for WildRescue, a nonprofit wildlife rescue organization based in Moss Landing.
About 25 pelicans from the Monterey Bay area have been sent to the International Bird Rescue in Fairfield for treatment, said Jay Holcomb, the organization's executive director.
People also are calling WildRescue with reports of washed-up dead adult pelicans, said Dmytryk.
But there hasn't been an increase in sick birds in Santa Cruz, said Molly Richardson, the director of the Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz.
After a large number of baby bird births last year, Dmytryk expected an increase in dead young pelicans. But about half of the dead birds reported in the past few days are adults, she said.
"I've been rescuing birds since 1981 and I've never seen anything like this," Dmytryk said. "It's absolutely unusual."
The source of the illness that leaves the birds disoriented and starving is unknown.
"The only thing we've seen similar to this before is domoic acid poisoning," said Holcomb.
Domoic acid, a neurotoxin found in ocean algae, can cause disorientation in sea birds, but poisoned pelicans also suffer from head-weaving and seizures. None of the rescued birds show these other tell-tale symptoms and there have been no reports of high domoic acid levels in coastal waters, Dmytryk said. The bird rescuers are waiting to analyze blood samples from the sick birds to determine if domoic acid is responsible.
Holcomb believes the starvation is caused by the pelicans' disorientation, because the birds must navigate to hunt for food at sea.
"The birds we've seen are acting like they don't know where they are," Holcomb said.
The Fairfield rescue center is one of the only pelican rescue centers on the West Coast and receives sick birds from as far south as San Luis Obispo. An increased influx of ill pelicans may tax the center's resources. Last year, the center spent $60,000 on fish alone to feed pelicans, said Dmytryk.
To contact WildRescue to report dead pelicans or to find your local rescue group, call 866-WILD-911.
Contact Michael Torrice at 429-2436 or jcopeland [at] santacruzsentinel.com.
People also are calling WildRescue with reports of washed-up dead adult pelicans, said Dmytryk.
But there hasn't been an increase in sick birds in Santa Cruz, said Molly Richardson, the director of the Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz.
After a large number of baby bird births last year, Dmytryk expected an increase in dead young pelicans. But about half of the dead birds reported in the past few days are adults, she said.
"I've been rescuing birds since 1981 and I've never seen anything like this," Dmytryk said. "It's absolutely unusual."
The source of the illness that leaves the birds disoriented and starving is unknown.
"The only thing we've seen similar to this before is domoic acid poisoning," said Holcomb.
Domoic acid, a neurotoxin found in ocean algae, can cause disorientation in sea birds, but poisoned pelicans also suffer from head-weaving and seizures. None of the rescued birds show these other tell-tale symptoms and there have been no reports of high domoic acid levels in coastal waters, Dmytryk said. The bird rescuers are waiting to analyze blood samples from the sick birds to determine if domoic acid is responsible.
Holcomb believes the starvation is caused by the pelicans' disorientation, because the birds must navigate to hunt for food at sea.
"The birds we've seen are acting like they don't know where they are," Holcomb said.
The Fairfield rescue center is one of the only pelican rescue centers on the West Coast and receives sick birds from as far south as San Luis Obispo. An increased influx of ill pelicans may tax the center's resources. Last year, the center spent $60,000 on fish alone to feed pelicans, said Dmytryk.
To contact WildRescue to report dead pelicans or to find your local rescue group, call 866-WILD-911.
Contact Michael Torrice at 429-2436 or jcopeland [at] santacruzsentinel.com.
For more information:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews...
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