Kim Peterson is SeaWorld San Diego’s Bird Rescue Supervisor and has cared for dozens of different seabird species at the facility for over 23 years. Of the current brown pelican crisis, she said, “Species preservation does not end with delisting as endangered species. We pay special attention to species that have recovered and rebounded from their endangered status to ensure that overall species health and genetic diversity are maintained. story of the California brown pelican, every rescue, rehabilitation and return should be considered an essential part of preserving this precious species.”

SeaWorld provides the highest standards of intensive care
at the Only Seabird rescue facility in Tijuana at Camp Pendleton

Approximately one month since the crisis began, SeaWorld has provided care to more than 30 pelicans in need due to this crisis at its San Diego rescue facility. SeaWorld has rescued more than 1,000 California brown pelicans since 2010.

The current influx of pelicans in need of rescue are found in unusual indoor locations, including paintball parks, schools and backyards. Most rescues have been of younger birds with ages ranging from a few months to two years. Seabirds are malnourished, dehydrated and typically 40-50% underweight. Upon arrival at the SeaWorld Rehabilitation Center, SeaWorld veterinarians perform thorough examinations and animal care experts administer treatment with vitamins, hydration and nutritional support, along with a fish-based formula.

Drawing on decades of experience, SeaWorld San Diego has pioneered highly customizable feeding formulas for sick birds and has developed specialized feeding tubes for birds requiring acute care. They’ve also created a balanced fish smoothie that provides nutrients and builds the strength needed for the birds to begin their path to recovery.

Some emaciated pelicans also arrive with secondary injuries, including entanglement in hooks and fishing line. SeaWorld’s veterinary team removes monofilament line or embedded hooks and treats individual bird injuries with antibiotics and antifungal medications to enhance recovery from traumatic injuries and illnesses. Surgical procedures are performed in response to more serious injuries, such as lacerations of the pouch or broken bones. These surgeries are only performed when the birds are stable and have acquired the strength to recover from these surgeries.

SeaWorld San Diego is the only seabird rescue facility along the coast of Tijuana at Camp Pendleton with the facility and expertise to care for the species of birds that spend their lives on or near the ocean. SeaWorld San Diego has cared for seabirds since 1980.

SeaWorld San Diego is also a member of the California Oiled Wildlife Network (OWCN), which includes more than 40 agencies and organizations across California that respond to animals affected by oil spills in the ocean and bays. SeaWorld’s animal care specialists are OWCN certified and trained annually to care for oiled wildlife. The SeaWorld San Diego Oiled Wildlife Care Center (OWCC) was built specifically to care for animal victims of oil spills. The 8,000 square foot facility can process up to 200 oiled seabirds at a time and is equipped with examination, processing and food preparation areas, flight enclosures and a rehabilitation pool of 32,000 gallons. The OWCC has helped more than oiled animals around the world. When the OWCC is not in use for oil spill rescue, it houses marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds for rehabilitation.

Caring for seabirds requires specialized skills such as caring for the feathers and fragile limbs of birds that never come ashore except to nest. One of the largest of its kind on the West Coast, the SeaWorld seabird rescue and rehabilitation facility features eight outdoor and three indoor natural seawater pools as well as a modular interior that can be configured to meet the size requirements of nearly 80 different species of seabirds. with hot or chilled salt/fresh water, from a few ounces to 10 pounds and more.

SeaWorld San Diego works in partnership with local organizations, including the San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife, to ensure the rescue, rehabilitation and return of seabirds in California.

“With SeaWorld’s partnership, we are able to provide our rescued seabirds and shorebirds with a safe place to go for intensive care and rehabilitation,” said Dr. Jon Enyart, senior director of the Wildlife Project at the San Diego Humane Society. “Particularly in times of crisis, SeaWorld’s facilities and expert care teams play a vital role in our collaborative response to ensure species survival.”

SeaWorld’s 40 years of experience caring for and studying seabirds is helping in the race to find a cure as the team joins the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Incident Command for Emergency Response

The California the brown pelican was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1970, populations have recovered, and the species was removed from the endangered species list in 2009. Significant food shortages continued to threaten the species in 2010 and 2012.

The cause of illness and death in 2022 remains a mystery. SeaWorld’s team of veterinarians and scientists are performing tests and reviewing blood work from rescued pelicans to help investigate the source of the crisis. Once the data has been collected by the network of rehabilitation centers, more concerted therapeutic/interventional measures can be implemented to combat the crisis. To date, test results from SeaWorld and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) indicate starvation-related issues. Wildlife scientists continue to investigate the potential underlying causes of this famine as there is no apparent shortage of food supply or changes in water temperature that would conflict with dietary habits. some change.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife created an Incident Command in response to the ongoing crisis. The group is made up of biologists, pathologists and researchers from seabird rehabilitation centers ranging from San Diego at Monterey. The team includes SeaWorld veterinarians and scientists.

“We are grateful to all members of Incident Command, including wildlife rehabilitators, for coming together at this critical time,” said Laird Henkel, supervisor of the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Research and Care Center. from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The collective expertise and knowledge shared through this group is critical to the rescue and rehabilitation of pelicans as we work to understand the root causes of this mortality challenge.”

So far in 2022, SeaWorld San Diego has rescued and rehabilitated nearly 300 seabirds from dozens of species. He has experience caring for 80 different species of seabirds.

Ongoing Commitment to Conservation

In 2017, the SeaWorld Conservation Fund (SWCF) provided emergency funding to the Panamerican Conservation Association (APPC), from Panama leading wildlife rescue and conservation NGO, for the treatment of sick and injured pelicans. The grant request was in response to an unexpected increase in the number of rescued pelicans to expand pelican and seabird rescue and rehabilitation efforts and train staff to better assess the crisis and develop animal care protocols. The funding was also used to research potential solutions to the mortality crisis and provide better veterinary treatment that would ensure rescued pelicans could be released back into their natural habitat.

About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company that delivers experiences that matter and inspires guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The company is one of the world’s leading zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, breeding and veterinary care. The Society collectively cares for what it considers to be one of the greatest zoological collections in the world and has helped advance animal care. The Society also rescues and rehabilitates sick, injured, orphaned or abandoned marine and land animals, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® Rescue Team has helped over 40,000 animals in need over the company’s history. SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of trusted brands, including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens®, Aquatica®, Sesame Place® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more than 60-year history, the company has built a diverse portfolio of 12 regional destinations and theme parks that are clustered in key markets across United States, many of which feature his one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company’s theme parks offer a diverse range of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal that provide memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.

Media contacts:
[email protected]

Tracy SpahrSea World San Diego
[email protected]
619-203-6468

SOURCE SeaWorld Parks & Recreation