BAKERSFIELD, CA - A unique and careful rescue was done Friday morning by workers with the California Living Museum.
Wildlife officials rescued a severely injured American White Pelican in Hart Park.
"Toward the end, she simply walked up onto the bank and we were able to capture her there," said Lana Fain, California Living Museum.
Staff at the museum say the pelican suffered severe injuries after having a fishing lure in its beak for about six months and several hooks in its body.
"It looks like something that's probably used in ocean fishing. These are migratory birds so we're not sure where she picked this up from," said Fain.
Wildlife officials say the lure was stuck so deep in its beak, the pelican had a hard time eating and drinking.
Officials say the bird was running out of time.
"They migrate here in October. So, she was probably too weak because of her injuries to fly out with the rest of the flock," said Fain.
The California Living Museum says although it doesn't rescue animals, staff knew this was a serious situation and acted fast.
"This is something we do not normally do. We had to get Fish and Wildlife's permission to do it," Fain continued. "They're the ones who do the captures and the rescues and everything like that. They gave us the permission to do it and that's why we went out and did what we did today."
A successful rescue that now gives this American White Pelican the chance to roam free again, uninjured.
Fain says they will keep the pelican a little longer and it will then be seen by a veterinarian before it's released into the wild.