INDIAN SHORES, Fla. – The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary celebrated a decade of helping injured birds on Thursday with a special milestone of its own: giving dozens of rescued seabirds a fresh start.<\/p>\n
About 40 brown pelicans, laughing gulls and double-crested cormorants were released back onto the beach in Indian Shores as staff, volunteers and members of the community celebrated their recoveries.<\/p>\n
Giving injured birds a second chance <\/p>\n
What we know:<\/p>\n
Sanctuary staff say most of the birds released had been brought in with fishing hook injuries.<\/p>\n
The majority spent about a month receiving treatment before they were ready to return to the wild.<\/p>\n
Others had much longer recoveries, spending as long as a year and a half at the sanctuary.<\/p>\n
Before the release, staff and volunteers assessed each bird to make sure it could fly independently over the sanctuary’s pool.<\/p>\n
Those that passed were carried to the beach and released.<\/p>\n
Why community support matters <\/p>\n
Why you should care:<\/p>\n
Avian Hospital Director Melissa Edwards says bird releases are always meaningful, but this one was especially significant because it came on the sanctuary’s 10th anniversary.<\/p>\n
The nonprofit treats at least 3,000 birds each year and also cares for permanent resident birds at the sanctuary.<\/p>\n
“We don’t get any state or government funding. And as everyone feels, you know, prices have gone up on everything,” she said, “The support from the community really is the reason we’re able to do what we do.”<\/p>\n
Celebrating 10 years <\/p>\n
Dig deeper:<\/p>\n
The anniversary celebration continued at the sanctuary with free activities including games, crafts and vendors.<\/p>\n
Visitors could also meet the sanctuary’s avian ambassadors.<\/p>\n
The event also highlighted the progress the sanctuary has made since suffering extensive damage during the 2024 hurricane season.<\/p>\n
The Source: FOX 13 spoke with Seaside Seabird Sanctuary Avian Hospital Director Melissa Edwards and reported from the sanctuary’s 10th-anniversary celebration. Information about the rescued birds, their rehabilitation and the release came from sanctuary staff and volunteers.<\/p>\n