Slashed Pelican Quickly Recovers and Set to be Released

A pelican found in Long Beach with its throat pouch cruelly slashed has made an "incredibly fast" recovery and is set to be released back into the wild, a bird rescue organization reported Monday.

Pink, the beloved California brown pelican named for the color of its leg band, has luckily recovered from the vicious mutilation and will be released Tuesday in a park near the Los Angeles harbor, according to a press release from the International Bird Rescue (IBR).

"Despite the vicious attack against this pelican, Pink brought out the best in wildlife lovers all over the country, who supported and rallied behind the bird's care and recovery," said IBR executive director Jay Holcomb. "Though we still don't know who committed this criminal act, we're thrilled to release a strong and healthy Pink, one of hundreds of pelicans we care for every year."

The media darling was found in Long Beach on April 16, and rescue officials suspect that someone used a sharp object, possibly a knife, to nearly sever Pink's throat pouch, NBC Southern California reported. The pelican was handed over to IBR for medical treatment that included two surgeries and about 600 stitches, said Dr. Rebecca Duerr, a veterinarian at the organization.

Poor Pink was incredibly weak, malnourished, and couldn't eat or fly. A $7,500 reward is still up for grabs to find the person responsible for the terrible crime.

The IBR press release notes that there have been several incidents involving human-perpetrated pelican pouch slashing this year in California, Florida and North Carolina.

Despite a bumpy road during which Pink transformed from "weak and sad to feisty and voracious," Duerr explained, he has bounced back.

"The bird is a flying, craving machine. He's ready to go," Duerr told the Associated Press, calling the recovery "incredibly fast."

The organization will continue to monitor the bird's movements using a blue tag attached to Pink's leg, and also asks the public to post and track sightings through its website.

The NWN article detailing reports of Pink's initial discovery can be found here.