Injured pelican found in Santa Fe brought back to health, released into the wild
The large bird spent a little over one week receiving care at the New Mexico Wildlife Center in Española after it was captured by Santa Fe Animal Services officers on Jan. 27. 'His main issues were being thin and being hypothermic, so he wasn't regulating his body temperature, as well as being very dehydrated from being stranded away from a water source,' said Tony Carlson, a wildlife rehabilitator at the center.
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Carlson and center staff had never cared for a pelican before, as the species is not common in New Mexico, but called on other experts in the state and across the country to determine what treatment the bird needed. 'Tony reached out to International Bird Rescue in California. We also know a veterinarian out on the East Coast in Maine that we were consulting with,' said Laura Siegel, the center's communications specialist.
Staff helped the pelican rehydrate, warm up, and get back on a healthy diet of fish. On Thursday, staff bid farewell to the pelican as he was released at the Elephant Butte Reservoir. Siegel said there were reports of pelicans at the reservoir, making it a perfect spot for the bird to renter the wild.
'Knowing that there were several of that species in a location means that location clearly had enough food and space to support a flock, a whole group of pelicans, which was really important, especially in the winter,' Siegel explained.
While pelicans are not native to New Mexico, they often cross the state during their winter. The center said this isn't the first time they have been faced with a 'unusual' case and explained that they embrace the challenge. 'Every time we take in and care for an animal that's new to us, it's a really fun and cool learning experience for everyone,' said Siegel.
To learn more about the New Mexico Wildlife Center, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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