18 Dec The Pelican that rode in a mine-site bus
We received a call that a Pelican had ended up over 700 km from the nearest beach or waterway. He was being harassed by the local crows and didn’t look happy to be there in the red dirt of the outback…
The drive to where he was located was going to be a long one, but the local mine site was happy to place him on their staff transfer bus and drive him in air-conditioning to the nearest town, Geraldton, He would arrive at 6pm.
Frank the pelican is what he was named, after Frank Pelicano the bus driver from the mine site transport bus .
Frank was picked up and found to be very dehydrated, and was brought home to GG Wildlife Rescue. He was given some spark liquid to hydrate him again. He didn’t have much of a fight in him that night… all that changed by the morning .
The next morning Frank was in his makeshift pond swimming around in small circles, Off I went to get him some fresh fish. The luck bugger received expensive fish as that was all the local shops had , $30 of it to be exact!
As soon as he heard the bag he got excited and grabbed the fish straight out of my hand, I had cut it up expecting him to take a little if not any , he surprised me by eating the whole lot.
I let Frank rest that night , I decided if he was as bright in the morning again he could head off to another place with more of his own kind, He has to catch his own food from now on .
The next morning I had calls from lots of media. They all wanted to know how Frank was doing & asked why and how did he end up where he did .
Pelicans are transoceanic, & like to take long flights. His Pelican GPS must not of been working that day.
The afternoon was a great one and all the more reason to get Frank down to the other Pelicans on the Greenough River, He flapped his wings as I placed him in the back of my cab.
Off we went down to Greenough where he must have smelt the ocean because as soon as I opened the cab I had to grab him quickly as he became more excited with the smell of the ocean and water.
He was so excited as I walked him to the river mouth that he literally leapt out of my arms and into the water to join the others.
This is the reason Wildlife Rescue & Rehab & then release is the greatest feeling ever… I am so fortunate to do what I do & I thankful for all of the support that we have received in what has been a very tough year, I am sure Frank would say thank you too!
