STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

More Guest Columns

• City Manager's Weekly Report
• City Manager's Weekly Report
• Manager's Report: City’s finances change with the economy

Share and Enjoy [?]

Brown pelicans are as much a part of the southwest Florida landscape as sunshine and palm trees. We see them flying in formation over sandy beaches, plunge-diving for fish in the Gulf and sitting like solitary sentries atop pilings and docks.

Although brown pelicans seem to be everywhere you look along our coast, research tells a different story.

Brown pelicans are found along the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Drastic population declines in Louisiana, Texas and California in the 1960s linked to the use of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) in pesticides led to them being declared a federal endangered species in 1970.

Shortly thereafter, DDT was banned in the United States and populations have slowly rebounded. Today, brown pelicans are listed as a Species of Special Concern in Florida.

Avian ecologist Ted Below has been monitoring brown pelicans and other coastal bird species in and around Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve since 1974. Brown pelicans are considered an indicator of estuary and coastal health because their populations can’t flourish in areas of poor water quality or few fish.

The ABC Islands near Marco’s Jolly Bridge have historically served as a nesting site or nightly roost for brown pelicans and other coastal species. Below’s long-term research contributed significantly to the islands being designated a Critical Wildlife Area by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission in 1996.

According to Below, brown pelican populations are declining all along the west coast of Florida. His data suggest that the birds may not be producing enough young for normal replacement. We know that nesting success can be influenced by a variety of environmental factors, such as rainfall, food availability, weather and habitat quality. But the exact cause of this trend hasn’t yet been determined.

Humans have greatly impacted the quantity and quality of coastal habitat in Southwest Florida. Habitat loss and competition with humans for space on our beaches are possible factors. While difficult to measure, there are significant effects from repeated disturbance.

We don’t need research to tell us, however, that there are far fewer locations available today where birds can roost without being flushed out by boats or beachgoers.

The growing number of boaters and fishing enthusiasts in this area seems to parallel the growing number of brown pelican casualties. During his weekly rookery surveys, Below documents the number and species of birds that have died there from fishing line entanglement. Of 97 entangled birds recorded over seven years, 47 were brown pelicans.

Injured brown pelicans are regularly patients at the Conservancy’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. According to Jonee Miller, a wildlife rehab specialist, the center sees roughly 150 pelicans per year, and half have fishing-related injuries, i.e. line entanglement or hook puncture wounds.

Brown pelicans are also treated for cuts from filleted fish carcasses found embedded in their pouch or throat.

Many environmental factors are beyond our control, but “accidental” brown pelican deaths can be avoided through education. A combination of research and outreach efforts can help us all do a better job of sharing our coast with these magnificent creatures.¤

- - -

Tips for fishermen

Seventy percent of brown pelicans don’t survive their first year. They do, however, have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years if undisturbed by humans.

Consider these guidelines to help pelicans live longer:

-- Carefully release unwanted bait or catch into the water instead of feeding it to pelicans or other wildlife.

-- Dispose of filleted fish carcasses in the garbage or bury them underground instead of tossing them into the water.

-- Retrieve misguided fishing line and put it in a trash can or one of the monofilament recycling bins around Marco Island.

-- If you’ve accidentally caught a pelican or other bird, don’t cut the line. Reel it in gently and attempt to unhook it, or cut the line as close to the bird as possible to prevent further entanglement.

-- Contact the Conservancy’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at 262-CARE (2263) if you encounter an injured pelican or other animal.

For more information about brown pelicans, visit myfwc.com/viewing/species/brwpelican.htm.

- - -

Renee Wilson is research translator for Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve north of Marco Island. For more information, go to www.rookerybay.org or call 417-6310.