Pelicans face significant welfare threats from fishing line entanglement and hook ingestion, requiring targeted intervention programs in coastal fishing areas.
Pelican entanglement causes significant welfare suffering: birds with monofilament wrapped around their bills or bodies cannot feed and slowly starve unless rescued. Hook ingestion from swallowing baited fish requires veterinary intervention and sometimes surgery. The welfare burden on coastal wildlife rehabilitation centers from fishing gear-related pelican injuries is substantial. Prevention through monofilament recycling bins at fishing access points, angler education, and reduced deliberate feeding (which habituates birds to dangerous proximity to anglers) is more effective than reactive rescue.