Brown and white pelicans frequently become entangled in monofilament fishing line and hooks, causing wing injuries, lacerations, and drowning in and around fishing piers.
Entangled pelicans experience acute pain from lacerations and embedded hooks, combined with the chronic suffering of impaired flight and feeding. Birds that cannot be rescued face slow death from starvation or drowning. Even successfully rehabilitated birds may have reduced survival prospects if wing function is permanently compromised.