p.1 #1 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
In a recent post Socrate mentioned that he rescued a pelican that was entangled in a fishing line. Thank you Socrate. This situation is often repeated over and over again. Here is a typical example.
Please spread the word. If a bird gets entangled in a fishing line do not cut the line. Cutting the line means a certain prolonged slow and painful death. Try to free the bird the best you can. If that does not work try to get help (for example: there are bird Hospitals in Sarasota and Pensacola that respond to such situations).
If you are trying to free a Pelican, do not hold its beak shut for a long time. I am told they cannot breath well with closed beak.
PS. Please excuse the exposure and focus. The pictures are only intended to make a pictorial point.
Thanks
Saba
Feb 08, 2012 at 11:56 AM
David Leask Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
p.1 #3 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
Thank you David. My main goal is to make most of us aware if they face such a situation.
If I remember correctly, the wildlife hospital in Pensacola estimated that cleaning each Pelican from the recent oil spill cost about $1500. This is the price that we value our wildlife. Thus a fishing line entanglement is very costly and usually the bird dies.
Cheers
Saba
Feb 08, 2012 at 02:52 PM
Martin Good Offline • • • • • • • [X]
p.1 #4 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
Point well made Saba.
I saw a Grebe one day very much entangled in fishing line.
I doubt if it got free. It was an awful sight.
Martin
p.1 #5 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
Question: How does cutting the line lead to death? The struggle, and injuries?
Feb 08, 2012 at 03:41 PM
Thomas Sanders Offline • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
Tom
Feb 08, 2012 at 04:05 PM
Thomas Sanders Offline • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
PatrickSweeney wrote:
Question: How does cutting the line lead to death? The struggle, and injuries?
I think the Op means if you get your fishing line tangled up and cut it to rerig your pole, you will risk causing the death of some innocent creature when they happen upon the cut line.
p.1 #11 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
Hello Martin, Patrick, Thomas, Tim and Kenney
Thanks for your comments.
Cutting the line happens when:
The hook or a lure is snagged underwater. After a few tugs the fisherman, to no fault of his/her, usually cuts the line. The floater prevents the line from sinking to the bottom and a swimming bird will get entangled in it.
The bird is actually caught on the hook if it tries to eat the bait. The fisherman then out of panic and to avoid causing the bird more pain cuts the line. This is what we should not do. We must then try to free the bird. Leaving the line hooked to the bird is what kills it.
The bird is hooked as the line is being reeled in and it crosses the birds path. Again, do not cut the line. Try to free the bird.
The most reckless of all is cutting the line to make a new one leaving the old line on the ground. The bird gets entangled in the line. Most fishing spots in Florida parks have a sort of "pipe" where you can dispose of the old line by stuffing it in the pipe.
Cheers
Saba
p.1 #12 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
Hello Socrate,
Thank you for the post. What a nice looking bird (female?). They also seem so helpless in these situations.
Even before attention was drawn by the oil incident to the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida in Pensacola, they were taking care of a lot of Pelicans. It is a great place to visit and make a donation if you are visiting the area.
I might be visiting the National Magnet Laboratory and Florida State University in Tallahassee this spring. I would like to continue further, meet with you and shoot together, if you don't mind.
p.1 #13 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
I knew of a pelican who lost its foot exactly the same way as the GBH. I called him "one foot". It lived on the pier of the famous Ringling bridge in Sarasota. An old man befriended the Pelican and went every day fishing at the pier. He gave all the fish he caught to "one foot". I got talking to the old man. He was originally from Michigan and had a small pension from General Electric. He was a happy simple man and a heavy smoker! During our conversation he mentioned that at the VA hospital they found "a few spots" on his lungs. He did not seem to worry and, I guess, did not know the seriousness of his situation. Sadly, the following year I searched for the old man and "one foot". I could not find either of them
p.1 #14 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
I'll be very happy to shoot with you if you come this way, Saba. Let me know when you come down.
The second Pelican is actually an immature. Immature pelicans have a brown head and neck. There is no male/female identification marks to distinguish the gender of Pelicans. The male is however larger than the female.
p.1 #20 · Certain Death...........If you cut the line!
I hate to see this as it happens too much.The local fisherman around Houston will throw monofiloment on the ground with a trash can 20 feet away.I saw a cormie entangled once that really got to me.There should be strick fines for this type of littering.
