Pengu - A journey home
Meet Pengu, a beautiful pelican from Murray Bridge who has one incredible story to tell.
For more than a week, Pengu evaded rescue attempts after becoming tangled in fishing line. To make matters worse, a fishing lure became hooked through her wing and beak, leaving her in a dangerous and painful situation.
Thankfully, the persistence of Wildlife Welfare Org SA Inc and assistance from the RSPCA South Australia rescue team finally paid off. Pengu was safely rescued and rushed to our wildlife veterinary centre, just showing what what can be acheived when groups collaborate together.
What appeared to be a relatively minor injury turned out to be much more serious. The fishing line had been embedded for so long that much of the muscle in her wing had died. During surgery, our veterinary team had to remove the damaged tissue right down to the bone.
Pengu then faced weeks of recovery.
We set up a temporary enclosure where she could safely heal, build her strength and begin exercising her wing. She received ongoing veterinary care, wound treatment, medication and plenty of fish!
Pengu needed around 800 grams of fish every day, so we are incredibly grateful to Seafood Chest in Old Noarlunga for generously donating fish to help keep her fed.
And then, after weeks in care, the day we had all been waiting for finally arrived... Pengu was carefully transported back to where her journey began and released into the wild.
Watching her take those first steps towards freedom and knowing everything she had overcome made every bandage change, every meal and every long day of care worthwhile.
From a tangled and injured pelican fighting for survival, to a strong and healthy bird heading back where she belongs.
Pengu’s story is also a wonderful example of what can happen when we pivot, adapt and create solutions around what an individual animal needs from setting up temporary treatment spaces and custom enclosures, to having specialist wildlife vets who can share knowledge and expertise.
When we think outside the box, work together and have the right people and facilities in place, incredible things can happen.
Fly free, Pengu! We’ll be cheering for you.