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Pelé the Pelican, of Narrabeen Lagoon, asking for help. Photo supplied
Last week Anne Olbach and her son noticed a Pelican at the Coastal Environment Centre that looked like he was asking for help.
His legs were bound together with fishing line and there were numerous hooks, snares and sinkers attached to him, including those in his legs and one in his mouth.
Fiona Demas-Herd and her grandchildren got on the phone and rang the Bird and exotic specialist Vet at Narrabeen.
They rang Sydney Wildlife who sent out a team to rescue the Pelican.
Eduardo Salgado and his son, Lucas Caetano Salgado, kept supplying Pelé with prawns so the team could catch him.
It was a group effort by the Members of public and the SYDNEY WILDLIFE team.
''We eventually tackled the Pelican and he was taken to Taronga Zoo wildlife clinic, '' Sydney Wildlife bird rescuer Jacqui Marlowe said
''He is still in care and has had numerous operations to repair the damage to his joints where the hooks had penetrated.
Hopefully he will make it and the Pelican Rescue group will release him.''
''Could people please ensure they do not leave fishing line lying around especially with hooks?'' Jacqui said
If you find injured Wildlife please contact SYDNEY WILDLIFE On 9413 4300 - available 24 hours your day seven days a week.
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fishing lure, hook and line on Pelé the Pelican. Photos supplied
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Three in Care due to Fishing Tackle
Late this week Pelé is still not out of the woods. He doesn’t appear to fly and they are worried his wing is injured, as well as the ongoing impacts of his injuries from the fishing hooks.
Libby Hall, of Taronga Zoo, states he cost the Zoo a fortune to feed as he is so big.
Libby currently has three animals in care due to fishing hooks and lines not being properly disposed of –a Little penguin from Manly and a turtle has lost a flipper.
Photos courtesy Taronga Zoo, August 6, 2026 - this little one is recovering now
Residents are asking for more regular cleans of the area around Narrabeen Lagoon where hooks are frequently left and fishing line, caught in trees, is cut and left there where it will then impact on local wildlife.
A Sydney Wildlife spokesperson said the council's Cleansing Team have agreed to meet with the Sutherland Seabird Rescue group to see how to remove fishing line from trees this coming week. The local rescuers are also going to discuss a regular cleansing pattern for the worst discarded fishing rubbish in the Lagoon.
A few years back the council joined the growing cohort of communities across Australia to install fishing tackle bins at popular fishing spots so recreational fishers have somewhere to place broken lines and hooks, where they will be recycled.
See January 2025 report: Council Rolls Out Fishing Tackle Bins at Ten high use Spots
A council spokesperson stated:
‘’We’re saddened to hear of the pelican’s predicament and hoping it returns to full health.
It is disappointing that we see this kind of rubbish left behind especially when it can be detrimental to our wildlife, environment and other community members (especially in the case of fish hooks).
Council is passionate about waste education and caring for our environment; however, we also need the community’s support.
In partnership with the EPA, Council is currently supporting the statewide Nature Hates a Tosser campaign that reinforces a simple message for residents and visitors alike, ‘Bin it or Bring it’ – by putting waste in the bin or taking it home and disposing correctly everyone can prevent litter from entering the environment.
A green sea turtle image is displayed on litter trucks, bins and other high‑use public spaces, as a powerful visual reminder of the impact litter has on marine life.
Currently 12 tackle bins are located in popular fishing locations across the Northern Beaches to raise awareness to do the right thing and encourage people to dispose of unwanted tackle, hooks, lures, sinkers, swivels, and rinsed bait packaging.
Council collects material from the fishing tackle bin at Narrabeen Lagoon every Monday and 3 times a week in the warmer months, while the public litterbins, located nearby, are collected daily.
In addition, Council’s Cleansing Services team visits this popular fishing locations daily to remove loose litter and check for any discarded fishing lines and tackle as well.
In regard to signage, the tackle bins themselves have information about responsible fishing behaviour.’’
location of the council's fish tackle bins
what they look like. Photo and above graphic: NBC
Locations
- Fishermans Beach
- Sangrado Jetty, Seaforth
- Manly Dam (sections 1 & 3)
- Little Manly Point Park
- Narrabeen Lagoon Bridge area
- Pelican Path at Lake Park Road, North Narrabeen
- Ellery’s Punt Reserve, Clontarf
- Newport Jetty
- Berry Reserve, Narrabeen
- West Esplanade, Manly
- Forty Baskets Jetty
Thank you very VERY Much
The crew from Sydney Wildlife would like to thank Fiona Dimas-Herd, Anne Olbach and her grandchildren, Eduardo Salgado and his son, Lucas Caetano Salgado, and Avian & Exotics Vet Narrabeen, for their coming together to rescue Pele.
Please – when disposing of your fishing line and hooks make sure you do so so it won’t hurt others; take it home with you or put it in one of the fishing tackle bins the council has installed. If you get it caught in the trees around the perimeter of the lagoon, please have some scissors or something with you to cut it out again.
Let's all look after this place a bit better, especially its furred, feathered and finned residents - together we are a great team - the best team; community.