'Stomach-churning' reason behind popular Aussie tourist show
Tourists crowding along the water's edge last Sunday were completely oblivious to the 'stomach-churning' reason behind the popular show they were watching. Despite the heavy rain, dozens gathered under umbrellas to take photos of the flock of around 60 pelicans waddling onto the shore.
The giant, rowdy waterbirds are attracted to the weekly event at The Entrance, on the NSW Central Coast, because of the promise of fresh fish. And while the purpose of the show used to be entertainment, today it continues so volunteers can assess the feathered participants for injuries.
Cathy Gilmore from Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast was leading the show last weekend, when tourists witnessed an all too common occurrence, with several of the birds clearly snagged with fish hooks.
"We don't take a lot of fish down. It's not about feeding the birds, it's about educating the public and checking for injured birds," she told Yahoo News.
On May 11, Cathy was searching for an old bird named Kevin, who had previously lost a foot after gangrene set in from infection caused by a hook. "We immediately saw he had bloody fishing line and a hook in his good foot," she said.
While they were unable to catch Kevin, the team spotted another bird with a hook caught in his body. Incredibly, Cathy and the volunteers were able to catch him as the crowd watched on. "Every time we see one with a hook our stomach drops," Cathy said.
"It's like we've got a radar on, and they appear as red flashing lights. Most people can't see the hooks, but those who have been rescuing for years can spot them. And you can just tell there's something not quite right about the bird," she said.
Sadly, the pelican they caught had several hooks in his body, including one in his gut. And after several medical assessments it was discovered he had severe health complications, and euthanasia was the only option.
"Photos don't show how bad his situation was," Cathy said. "He really had much more wrong with him than we originally realised."
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During the shows, the volunteers make a habit of catching the birds as the tourists watch on to drive home the key message about helping wild pelicans.
"What better way to educate people than to show them why we do what we do. If they're day trippers up here to fish, we can explain to them what to do if they accidentally hook a bird," Cathy said.
"We don't need them to try and catch the bird. They can lure them in, get the beak under control and get their fishing gear back. They're big, but they're not that scary."
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