Brown pelicans, once nearly extinct from DDT, have recovered remarkably but face ongoing threats including entanglement, oil spills, and climate impacts on fish populations.
Brown pelicans are remarkable animals with complex diving and social behaviors, and their welfare is threatened by multiple human-caused hazards. Entanglement in fishing monofilament line causes some of the most severe injuries seen in wildlife rehabilitation — often requiring the loss of limbs that ends any possibility of release. Preventing entanglement through proper disposal of fishing line and using wildlife-safe fishing practices is one of the most direct individual actions to protect pelican welfare. Coastal habitat protection and plastic reduction are also essential.