Amanda Greenberg was going for a jog in February when she stumbled across an injured bird.
“There was a cat waiting to attack it because it was so weak. So I shooed the cat away, and with the help of another man who was also a fellow animal lover, rescued the bird," she said.
She and the man gave the bird to Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, a native wildlife rescue in Miami.
As the pandemic continues, you can rely on WLRN to keep you current on local news and information. Your support is what keeps WLRN strong. Please become a member today. Donate now. Thank you.
Hannah McDougall works for Pelican Harbor. She said the bird had a number of injuries when it came in, including a hook, an infection and a fracture. The bird stayed in Pelican Harbor's care for more than 100 days.
The organization has rehabilitated more than 37,000 pelicans since it was founded in 1980. McDougall says they hope to save 2,500 birds by the end of this year.
The brown pelican, and another, were finally able to be released back into the wild. Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber and some children from North Shore Park Youth Center helped let the birds free. They cheered as both birds, one after the other, flew off into the sky.
The mayor even named the birds after two famous Miami Beach residents: Gloria and Emilio.
