testing-the-flying-capabiliity-of-a-rehabilitated-brown-pelican
Release Evaluation: IBRRC (International Bird Rescue Research Center) rehabilitator conducts a final flight evaluation on two separate brown pelicans to ensure they are ready for release. The "spook" game was most often the tactic for this: To prevent wildlife habituation and a safe transition back into the wild, the rehabilitators would intentionally scare the pelicans into flight with their nets. Because so many of the rehabilitators grew attached to the pelicans over time, it wasn't easy to intentionally make them "hate" humans, but it had to be done.