More dead pelicans found at Topsail Island

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY) — More dead pelicans have washed up on Topsail Beach, and investigators still have no idea who is killing them.

The Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary says more than 150 dead pelicans have been found along Topsail Beach, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Volunteers say in the last ten days alone, at least 70 dead pelicans have washed ashore. They say there has been an escalation in the injuries to the pelicans.

Now they are finding birds with broken necks, gunshot wounds and even some that have been decapitated.

Deborah woody, a volunteer with the wildlife sanctuary, says she found at least 11 dead pelicans today. She drives up and down Topsail Island collecting the pelicans in the back of her truck.

“Somebody is really sick,” Woody said. “If they are getting fun out of this, I feel sorry for them. I don’t even know what to think that they could be doing this to a harmless creature.”

At first incidents were isolated. The dead and injured pelicans were only found along North Topsail Beach. Now they are being found all over Topsail and in increasing numbers.

Woody says all the bodies will be sent to the University of Georgia for further investigation.

There is a $5,000 reward for information about the deaths.