Tim Peartrice, Flickr Creative Commons |
In early November, we blogged about at least . Though the person responsible for placing the collars is still at large, wildlife rescue workers have successfully cut off three of the rings, the last of which took place this past weekend.
The most recent rescue happened on San Francisco State University鈥檚 campus on Saturday, according to the . Someone spotted the bird in November, and called it in to WildRescue and . After a few weeks of gaining the animal鈥檚 trust, the rescue groups removed the can with scissors. Then they released the bird, which but for some damage to feathers around its neck, was unharmed.
The captured gulls are luckier than those left to deal with the aluminum on their own, Rebecca Dmytryk told the Chronicle. "The can will kill them eventually, in a very slow way,鈥 she said. Here鈥檚 what can happen, according to the Chronicle:
The jagged cans force the birds to adjust how they eat, but exposure is the rescuers鈥 chief concern. Because the animals aren't able to properly preen, their feathers lose their warmth and water-proofness, leaving them susceptible to the elements.
In November, the reward for capture of the responsible criminal was $2,500. IBRCC and WildRescue upped that to $6,500 for anyone with information that leads to an arrest. Once again, if you spot one of these gulls, don鈥檛 try to catch it. Instead, call (831) 429-2323 or e-mail rescue@wildrescue.org.
