Injured pelican found in Wisconsin, Wildlife In Need Center asks ice fishers for donations

 

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It's a rare find in Wisconsin after November. An American White Pelican. Tonight, a plea from the Wildlife In Need Center that's struggling to keep her alive.

"When they come in as bad as he did, they're not very hard to grab," said Lisa Fosco, director of animal care at Wildlife in Need Center In Oconomowoc.

Lisa Fosco first met the American White Pelican two and a half weeks ago.

"Somebody had found her in their yard just lying in the snow. So, she was really weak, she was very lethargic, she wasn't very responsive," said Fosco.

A broken wing is what apparently kept the bird from migrating south.

"They do migrate down along the flyway, so typically this time of year, the pelican should be further south than this," said Fosco.

With over 30 years in business, Wildlife In Need is the one people turn to in Lake Country and beyond.

"She came in from Beaver Dam. Yeah, quite a ways, but not that far when you're looking for help for something like a pelican," said Fosco.

Now the center, which serves all wildlife, even doing surgery when needed, has an urgent plea, for donations from ice fishermen.

"She won't eat dead food, and she won't eat anything that doesn't look like a fish. So, filets of fish and big pieces of fish she doesn't recognize those as fish," said Fosco.

The center put an urgent request on social media. Greg Nickolas was first in line.

"My wife actually somebody mentioned it to her and then I called Wildlife In Need," said Greg Nickolas, Musky Mike's Owner.

Donating sucker fish from his bait and tackle shop on Okauchee Lake.

"Three times I've brought them suckers to feed him and he eats them all so (laughs)," said Nickolas.

It's unclear how long it'll take for the pelican's wing to heal. So, the need for live fish to keep this beautiful bird alive in ongoing.

"She's also healing so her dietary needs are a little bit more. She needs a few more calories than they normally would. When we're not getting fish donated, it's about $100 a day. They have to have heads. They have to have fins and ideally, they have to still be swimming and then she eats really, really well," said Fosco.

If you'd like to help, reach out to Wildlife in Need Center in Oconomowoc at (262) 965-3090, or click here.