AGRA: Forest officials, patrolling Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in UP, stumbled upon a pelican in distress on Wednesday evening. The large bird, identified as Great White Pelican, had swallowed a large 1.2 kg fish, only to end up choking on its meal. The officials rushed the helpless bird to the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Facility for immediate medical intervention.The bird, in an attempt to swallow the fairly large-sized fish, ended up with multiple internal tears and ruptures in food pipe and neck region. The bird has undergone surgery and is currently being provided with post-operative care.According to forest officials, the Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) also known as the Rosy pelican belongs to the family Pelecanidae. They are some of the heaviest flying birds and have a massive wingspan that can range from 7.4 foot to 12 foot. Their diet mainly consists of fish and also feed on small birds, frogs and crustaceans.AK Singh, range forest officer, Keetham, said, the forest officers sighted the distressed pelican while patrolling the sanctuary. After multiple attempts, the team was finally able to catch the bird and immediately transported it to the Wildlife SOS Hospital for immediate treatment.“The bird was brought to our hospital in a critical condition. It had sustained multiple internal tears in the oesophagus and neck region. We cleaned out the wounds and surgically sutured the ruptured skin. The pelican is currently receiving therapeutic laser treatment, along with post-operative medication,” said Dr Ilayaraja, deputy director veterinary services, Wildlife SOS.On the similar lines, on Thursday morning, Wildlife SOS’ Rapid Response Unit rushed to the Veterinary Hospital in Fatehpur Sikri, to medically aid an injured Sarus crane. The crane was found with a fractured left limb, which restricted its movement. It was immensely stressed and is currently undergoing treatment.The Sarus crane (Grus antigone) is the tallest flying bird in the world standing 152-156 cm tall with a wingspan of 240cm. This species is under severe threat due to loss of natural wetlands which form crucial breeding and foraging habitats. They are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List.A Black Kite was rescued by the Wildlife SOS team from the staff quarters of the Air Force Station in Agra. The bird was found struggling to fly due to a gravely injured wing and is currently under the care of the wildlife conservation NGO. Baiju Raj MV, director conservation projects, Wildlife SOS said, “The kite is under immense stress and pain due to its broken wing. We are closely monitoring the bird to ensure it recuperates safely from the ordeal.”

Stay updated with all the Lucknow Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.