A pelican that went missing after being scared by gulls and blown away by a gust of wind has been rescued in North Yorkshire.
The Eastern white pelican was missing from its home at Blackpool Zoo in Lancashire since Friday 4 August.
The bird was spooked by a group of seagulls and tragically blown away by a gust of wind.
Luckily, the pelican has now been found in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, a whopping 65 miles away from it’s home.
Blackpool Zoo said it wanted to thank the people who had provided “invaluable help” during the search and reported various sightings of the lost pelican.
A 24-hour hotline to find the bird was set up by the Zoo, with sighting in Fleetwood, Lytham and as far away as Harrogate.
The pelican was eventually found at Hay-a-Park Gravel Pits waters.
A spokeswoman for the Zoo told the BBC: “Many went above and beyond to assist by sending pictures, videos and exact coordinates of sightings, going back to locations to keep watch for hours on end and even bringing food for keepers when they were responding to calls.”
“The pelican is now in our animal hospital where it has been given a full health check, had its wings clipped and will be quarantined before being returned to the flock in the near future,” she contined.
“Pelicans are beautiful, docile creatures and there was never any threat to the public.
“Blackpool Zoo has housed this magnificent species for many years and we are the only collection in the UK to have successfully bred them, which makes the youngster’s return even more special.”
The zookeepers are delighted to have the pelican back safely.
Read more:
- Ofgem energy announces price cap will fall to £1,923 this winter
- We tried Shokupan’s new evening menu – and are already booking our next trip back
- Nike U-turn and finally agree to sell Mary Earps’ Lionesses shirt after backlash
Featured image – Blackpool Zoo
