Two brown pelicans slipped out of their enclosures at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium on Saturday, setting off an active effort by the zoo's animal care team to get the birds back where they belong. The zoo said it is aware the pelicans are loose and is working on their safe return.
News of the escape first surfaced through WPXI, which reported that the two pelicans managed to get out of their enclosures Saturday. The station noted that its own crew had a team headed to the area where the birds were last seen as the story developed. The zoo said it would share more details once they become available.
A Trio of Rescued Birds With Permanent Injuries
The pelicans are part of a group of three brown pelicans the Pittsburgh Zoo brought in from the Seacoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, Florida, according to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. The trio includes a female named Felicity and two males, Joey and Pierre. All three came to Pittsburgh after being rescued in Florida.
Per the zoo's own account, the pelicans carry permanent wing injuries that leave them unable to hunt their food correctly in the wild. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission deemed the birds non-releasable, which is why they ended up in a zoo setting rather than being returned to the wild. The zoo also notes that brown pelicans are protected under the Migratory Bird Act.
What Happens Next
As of Saturday, the exact circumstances of how the birds got loose had not been detailed publicly, and neither the zoo nor the station's report identified which two of the three pelicans were involved. The animal care team's recovery effort was still underway, with the zoo promising updates once they're available.
