Rare Yellow-billed Loon rescued from tangled fishing line in San Pedro

Wildlife experts successfully rescued a rare bird that was tangled in fishing line in San Pedro last week. 

The bird, a rare Yellow-billed Loon, which very occasionally ventures from its habitat in Canada and Alaska, was found tangled in fishing line as it swam around the Cabrillo Beach Pier on Jan. 19. 

Lifeguards and experts with the Marine Animal Rescue in San Pedro were able to locate and free the bird, which was spotted by beachgoers with the fishing line wrapped around its wings and body, preventing it from moving freely. 

The bird was taken to the International Bird Rescue center in San Pedro, where it has been recovering since in a "pelagic deep-water pool," with a Common Loon that was also found entangled in fishing line. 

"We are incredibly grateful to members of the public who alerted rescuers to this injured and entangled bird," said JD Bergeron, CEO of IBR. "Without the quick reporting and rescue, birds in crisis often succumb to these human caused injuries."

Clinical staff at the center discovered that the bird has suffered wounds on both of its wings as well as the sides of its mouth. 

They say that the Yellow-billed Loon is a near-threatened species that usually spends it summers on the high Arctic tundra and its winters near the wild northern shores of North America. They usually "occur only in very small numbers south of Canada," officials said. 

"Saving threatened species like the Yellow-billed Loon is not only an ethical imperative but also a practical necessity for maintaining the health of our planet's ecosystem," said the statement from IBR. "This work serves as a testament to our dedication to preserving the natural world for future generations."