A gull found itself hanging upside down from a light pole at a Napa shopping center parking lot Thursday, snagged by a fishhook embedded in its foot, until city firefighters climbed up to cut it loose. Napa Fire Department crews responded to the lot shared by Marshalls and HomeGoods off Soscol Avenue, where the trapped bird had become tangled on the fixture, and worked to bring it safely back down to the ground.
According to KRON4, the fishhook caught on the light fixture and left the gull stranded well above the pavement until firefighters arrived. Once freed, the bird was handed off to a Napa County Sheriff's Office animal control officer, who transported it to a local wildlife rescue center for care. Napa Fire Department praised everyone involved in giving the gull a second chance, per the same report.
Fishing gear can pose hazards to birds. At the Soscol Avenue shopping center, a fishhook snagged this gull's foot.
Why Birds End Up Dangling From Light Poles
Guidance from Native Animal Rescue warns that birds caught on fishing hooks or line can become exhausted or starve, underscoring the need for a prompt response.
The City of Napa Fire Department says its firefighters are trained in rope rescue and other technical-rescue disciplines, according to its operations description.
The Napa County Sheriff's Office Animal Services division assists with animal rescue and transportation of sick or injured animals, per the Napa County government's own description of the program.
A Recurring Hazard for Waterbirds
This is not the first time fishing gear has endangered a bird in Napa Valley. On August 1, Napa Wildlife Rescue carried out a rescue using a 25-foot ladder for a fledgling Osprey tangled in fishing line brought into its nest, according to an account published by Clark-Claudon Vineyards. Fishing gear can also injure seabirds.
For now, the bird's fate rests with the rehabilitators now caring for it, while firefighters and animal control move on to the next call.
