Pelican Rescued in Fishing Line in Fort Lauderdale Released Back Into the Wild

A pelican that was saved by three friends after it became tangled in a fishing line and fell into the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale is set to be released back into the wild after more than two months of rehabilitation

A pelican that was saved by three friends after it became tangled in a fishing line and fell into the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale was released back into the wild after more than two months of rehabilitation.

The bird and a few of his feathery friends were released Monday at John U. Lloyd Park in Dania Beach by workers from the South Florida Wildlife Center.

The pelican was taken to the wildlife center in early January. Greg Schreiber, Chad Hager and Bruce Hager found the pelican tangled up in the fishing line and were able to help him out of the water.

"He was hissing at me and biting at me and I kinda grabbed his beak and then grabbed his wings and sort of picked him up," Schreiber said shortly after the incident.

The pelican suffered severe injuries but has spent the past two months recuperating and undergoing physical therapy.

Contact Us