Pelican reward up to $10,000

Pledges from an animal rights group and a local restaurant brought

the reward to $10,000 for information that leads to the prosecution

of someone mutilating local pelicans.

An endangered brown pelican found in Huntington Beach two weeks

ago is recovering from surgery to repair its pouch, said Sharon

Weeks, a volunteer at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in

Huntington Beach. Its pouch was slit almost entirely away from its

beak in what officials believe was a deliberate act.

Another pelican with similar injuries that was found a week

earlier in Newport Beach died of its ordeal.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Humane Society of

the United States, Rusty Pelican Restaurant and private donors have

pledged reward money in the case.

Donations for the care of the injured pelican can be sent to the

Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center at 21900 Pacific Coast Highway,

Huntington Beach, CA 92646. Go to https://www.wwccoc.org for more

information.