EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains graphic descriptions. Reader discretion is advised.

SAN PEDRO, Calif. — Almost half a dozen pelicans are being taken care of at the International Bird Rescue in San Pedro after they suffered cuts made with a scalpel, according to a veterinarian.

Veterinarian Rebecca Duerr has done surgery on five of the pelicans that have severe pouch injuries.

“Linear cuts through the bird’s pouch, all the way back to back of their mouth. Then continuing back behind their eye, on to the back of their head, around the back of their neck,” she said describing the injuries.

Pelicans need their pouches to feed and survive. Dr. Duerr said the slashed pouches and injuries on the California brown pelicans are the equivalent of having a human’s esophagus removed.

She has done surgery on hundreds, probably closer to a thousand birds during her 11 years with the organization. Duerr said these pelican injuries are not like the usual fishing line or hook cuts she has seen over the years.

Dr. Duerr said since December of 2019, she has seen five birds with the same types of injuries. She said there is no way these cuts can be an accidental.

“Even plunge diving on to an upright machete wouldn’t do this type of damage to a bird where it wraps all the way around its head,” said Dr. Duerr.

The five birds have been found in the areas of Marina Del Rey and Ventura Harbor.

“They’re all kind of similar which made me kind of really suspicious that someone was doing this maliciously,” said Dr. Duerr.

She said the precision of the cuts on the birds are another indication someone has been doing this deliberately. 

“If you imagine cutting something with a razor blade vs poking into it with a fork and ripping. The laceration has a different characteristic,” said Dr. Duerr.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects brown pelicans and harming them is a crime.

“It’s a bit of a sense of horror when you think that someone would do this sort of thing deliberately. It’s very upsetting,” said Dr. Duerr. “We love taking care of these birds and we’re happy to do it. But we really, really would rather have these horrible injuries not happen in the first place.”

Dr. Duerr and the team were able to save three of the five birds.

There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or people responsible.

If you have information about these cases or witness someone harming other wildlife, International Bird Rescues asks you call the CalTIP hotline 888-334-2258, share the information via the “CalTIP” app, or by texting “CALTIP”, followed by a space and the message, to 847411 (tip411).

The organization asks you to include Penal Code 597 in the report.