A cause for concern: Oak Island shelter treating large number of injured pelicans

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — An Oak island Wildlife Shelter is taking in dozens of injured pelicans and it’s raising questions. 

The Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter said it’s not so much the number of pelicans they’re getting that’s causing the concern but more so why and how they’re injured. 

“It’s really, really disheartening,” Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter Clinic Director Mary Ellen Rogers said. 

The director of the Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter, Mary Ellen Rogers, said they’re seeing a higher-than-normal number of pelicans all with the same type of injuries and in the same location on their bodies.  

“15 out of the 28 all had broken wings at the elbow which indicates that there is just one person doing this,” Rogers said. 

She believes an out-of-town trawler could be to blame.  

Rogers said North Carolina does not ban inshore trawling during migration season, which is happening right now.  

“People from the other states that have bigger, expensive boats come here so they can keep on earning an living,” Rogers said. 

She said this is not where the issue lies.  

“We don’t want to shut down the trawlers, I think it’s just one individual—one very sick individual—who’s doing this to these birds,” Rogers said. 

She said she would like answers but more importantly, she wants the injuries to these pelicans to stop.  

“We’re so proud of our numbers and we’re so proud of our birds that it really hurts personally for us to be having to deal with this,” Rogers said. 

Rogers said she and her team at Sea Biscuit are going to continue treating these pelicans as best they can. They’re hoping they’ll be able to find out what’s happening to these pelicans and who is involved. 

If you come in contact with an injured pelican, act quick, and seek help by contacting your nearest wildlife resource.