Tim Peartrice, Flickr Creative Commons |
In early November, we blogged about at least five gulls in the San Francisco area with cut beer cans around their necks. Though the person responsible for placing the collars is still at large, wildlife rescue workers have successfully cut off three of the rings, the last of which took place this past weekend.
The most recent rescue happened on San Francisco State University’s campus on Saturday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Someone spotted the bird in November, and called it in to WildRescue and International Bird Rescue Research Center. After a few weeks of gaining the animal’s trust, the rescue groups removed the can with scissors. Then they released the bird, which but for some damage to feathers around its neck, was unharmed.
The captured gulls are luckier than those left to deal with the aluminum on their own, Rebecca Dmytryk told the Chronicle. "The can will kill them eventually, in a very slow way,” she said. Here’s what can happen, according to the Chronicle:
The jagged cans force the birds to adjust how they eat, but exposure is the rescuers’ chief concern. Because the animals aren't able to properly preen, their feathers lose their warmth and water-proofness, leaving them susceptible to the elements.
In November, the reward for capture of the responsible criminal was $2,500. IBRCC and WildRescue upped that to $6,500 for anyone with information that leads to an arrest. Once again, if you spot one of these gulls, don’t try to catch it. Instead, call (831) 429-2323 or e-mail rescue@wildrescue.org.
