Dedicated volunteers have been working hard to save pelicans who were oiled by the Gulf of Mexico oil slick.
Some background: the Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association recruited Nancy Torcson, of Clearwater Wildlife Sanctuary, Covington, to direct the response to the disaster. Clearwater is caring for two pelicans at a school, and teaching the school's children about wildlife at the same time. That's two excellent projects in one: Saving oil-affected wildlife and making children more environmentally aware.
More recently, 62 (other sources give the number as 72) pelicans were released at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas (as reported by the Associated Press on usatoday.com). So far, it is the largest release of rehabilitated pelicans. The Refuge has ideal living conditions for the pelicans.
Volunteers have been rescuing pelicans from the coasts of the Gulf Coast states. Large areas and large numbers of pelicans have been affected. Numbers of pelicans have already died, and no doubt many more will die, but it's heartening to see that the 'Pelican Angels' have swooped down and rescued as many pelicans as possible from death by oil.
Here's a much better-written article on some more 'Pelican Angels'.
Photo source: The Huffington Post
Sources: http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/oiled_pelicans_get_plenty_of_a.html
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/06/pelicans-texas-oil-spill/1
http://www.kristv.com/news/more-pelicans-released-here/
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