Florida Pelicans Dying After Serial Slashings

By Letitia Stein
TAMPA, Fla., Jan 23 (Reuters) – Brown pelicans with cut throat poaches have been soaking adult this month in south Florida, triggering village cheer as authorities examine what they think are sequence slashings.
About 10 birds have died, and another 4 were injured, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The law-breaker apparently used a blade to cut a vast gullets underneath their beaks, orator Robert Dube said.
The birds use a oversized poaches to swallow fish skimmed from a water. Once slashed, they can starve to death.
“It’s a slow, painful genocide for these animals,” Dube said.
The maimed pelicans have been branch adult around a reduce Florida Keys, located in a southernmost partial of a state.
State wildlife officers are seeking tips about a slayings, and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also investigating.
While no longer endangered, brownish-red pelicans are stable by state regulations and a U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Perpetrators can face fines and even jail time for harming a birds.
Local residents have been charity prerogative income given officials released an warning final week about a deaths.
Wildlife officers think teenagers or raging fishermen could be behind a attacks. During winter months, a segment also sees many part-time residents from northern states, Dube said.
“Right now we are during a loss,” he said. “We adore a critters down here in a Keys. It’s caused a lot of concern.” (Reporting by Letitia Stein; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Susan Heavey)

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/23/florida-pelicans_n_6531696.html?utm_hp_ref=miami&ir=Miami