Pelicans face significant welfare threats from fishing line entanglement, hook ingestion, and human disturbance at nesting colonies, making them a focus of coastal wildlife welfare intervention.
Pelicans entangled in fishing line experience distress, injury, and often slow death from strangulation or inability to feed. The proximity of pelican colonies to recreational fishing areas creates regular conflicts that produce preventable welfare harms. Monofilament recycling programs, responsible fishing practices, and wildlife-aware behavior near nesting colonies can dramatically reduce pelican welfare harms. The experience of organizations like International Bird Rescue demonstrates that with adequate veterinary resources, many injured pelicans can be successfully rehabilitated and released — but prevention through responsible fishing practices is far more effective and welfare-protective.