Over 30 Pelicans Mutilated Along Coastal Stretch of Southern California

More than 30 brown pelicans were inhumanly attacked and mutilated along a 27-mile coastal stretch of Southern California in shocking development. A wildlife organization is trying to find the culprit behind this cruel act and asking for donations to help cover the cost of their veterinary care.

According to the nonprofit organization Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center, at least 22 of the rescued birds had their wings broken so badly that their bones were visible through the skin. Officials have been asking people about the information on the attacks.

In a photo of one bird released by the center, bone ends are visible amid the feathers. The orthopedic procedures necessary to treat such wounds are quite expensive and heavily impact the resources. So far, the center has risen over $5,000.

A brown pelican after surgery who later died is one of more than 30 brown pelicans that have been viciously attacked and mutilated along a coastal stretch of Southern California | Image: Dr. Elizabeth Wood/AP

According to the Audubon Society, the pelicans are now found up and down the East and West Coasts of the United States. These seabirds have become both a cultural symbol and an ecological staple of coastal life.

Over the past few months, 32 injured pelicans were found on the Orange County coast between San Clemente and Huntington Beach. There were some serious injuries inflicted on the birds that require emergency surgeries and long-term care.

In the past eight months, the rise in attacks on the seabirds has led the organization to believe it has been done intentionally. The organization has set up a hotline for people to report these attacks and a $500 reward for anyone who could provide credible information.

Moreover, the center is soliciting tips that could help the California Department of Fish and Wildlife identify and locate the person or people responsible for the horrific abuse.

Such incidents make one wonder about the lengths of human cruelty against animals.

Via: SFGate