Pelicans get a second chance at Brookfield after toxic encounter

The grim tally of birds found dead following the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico stands at more than 2,400 as of Wednesday. About 1,300 birds have been collected alive and five of those refugees are finding a new life at Brookfield Zoo.

Oil stains smeared the plumage of the five American white pelicans when wildlife workers rescued them off the coast of Louisiana.

Local vets found that previous injuries prevented them from flying and they couldn't be released into the wild - which brought Brookfield into the picture.

The pelicans - three adults and two younger birds - arrived at the zoo's animal hospital Sunday after a 12-hour drive from Mississippi.

On Wednesday, veterinarian Mike Adkesson peered into the pelicans' bills and eyes, took blood samples and X-rays, and checked old fractures.

"The big concern is that these birds clean their own feathers, so as they preen, they can ingest a lot of oil, which creates a secondary toxic effect," Adkesson said. But tests are showing that so far "these birds are in very good condition and are settling in really well."

American white pelicans are among the country's largest birds with a 9-foot wingspan. The five could be on display to the public by mid-August after a 30-day quarantine period.

Brookfield experts said the injuries to the pelicans' wings could have been caused by various sources - predators, boats or fishing lines - and cautioned fishermen to properly discard their lines.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2,432 birds, 62 mammals, including dolphins, and 482 sea turtles were found dead in the area around the oil slick, although it noted the cause of death is still being determined and the spill is not necessarily the reason.

One positive is that the five pelicans can educate zoo visitors about the impact of the disaster, said Tim Snyder, curator of birds.

"What's happened has happened, there's nothing we can do about the spill," he said. "But we can help these animals and focus on their health and welfare."