Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Nemo and Nigel once lived in the wild, spending their winters with other White Pelicans in warm coastal areas of Florida, California, Mexico or Central America. For the summer, they would migrate in flocks to wetlands farther north in the Great Plains and Great Basin, to breed and bring new baby pelicans into the world.
About a year ago, though, these two pelicans suffered debilitating wing injuries that left them unable to fly. Perhaps they hit power lines, tumbling painfully to their new fate. Whatever happened, when they were found, they each had one wing already gone or useless. Life as they knew it was over, but they were still alive.
While their wings healed up, Nemo and Nigel were temporarily cared for by an animal rehabilitation center in Michigan. After they got well, though, the center determined they would not survive if released back into the wild. Unfortunately, the center could not be a forever home for Nemo and Nigel, and if a zoo could not be found to take them in, they would have to be euthanized. That's when the North Florida Wildlife Center (NFWC) in Lamont, Fla., stepped into the story.
Getting the proper permits to care for a native species is quite difficult, says NFWC Executive Director Ryan Reines. However, he and NFWC Director of Animal Care Jordan Garella plowed through the necessary paperwork that would allow them to rescue these White Pelicans, and in March the birds arrived and began to settle in.
Reines reports, “They're great! They have great personalities. They eat a lot of fish, which is expensive because they need whole, wild-caught fish. The White Pelican is a fantastic native species. As a wildlife center with lots of non-native species, we feel compelled of course to help as many native species as resources allow.”
In the near future, when the outdoor theater at NFWC begins to offer programs, Nemo and Nigel will participate in the wildlife presentations. In the meantime, visitors can still see these amazing birds – the second largest flying birds in North America – in their new habitat. Those who visit soon will have a chance to see Nemo and Nigel sporting a horn that they grow only during their breeding season. At the end of the season, it simply drops off onto the ground.
White Pelicans are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and conservation efforts have supported a growing population. Thanks to the efforts of the rehabilitation center in Michigan and the NFWC here, Nemo and Nigel still can be counted among their kind.
As a nonprofit organization, the NFWC relies on many donors and volunteers to accomplish its mission. Volunteers help the center provide the highest standards of animal care, education, conservation, environmental service and operations. Donors contribute significantly to these efforts as well as habitat restoration and the ongoing development of NFWC facilities.
To learn more about engaging with NFWC as a visitor, volunteer, intern or donor, see www.northfloridawildlife.org.
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