PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A Great Blue Heron was rescued from hanging upside down in a tree after getting caught in fishing line in Seminole.
"He was in a lot of pain," said Melissa Dollard, Avian Hospital Director at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary.
Last week people spotted the great blue heron hanging from fishing line in a tree. The bird was so high that a Seminole fire station had to come and use their ladder to cut him down from the tree.
The bird called "Blue" was brought to Seaside Seabird Sanctuary where they quickly discovered he had many problems.
"Hanging from the tree that long put a lot of stress on his body. He had internal trauma to his pelvis, he has quite a few wounds to his wings and legs," said Dollard.
Blue also had an old hook caught in his neck
"It was wrapped around his trachea," said Dollard.
Dollard says the hospital treats rescued birds weekly if not daily because of people not properly disposing of their fishing equipment.
"This is our collection of fishing line and lures and hooks that we have cut off of birds that come into the sanctuary," said Dollard while emptying a fishbowl full of fishing line and hooks.
This little bit of fishing trash meant life and death for dozens of birds like Blue. Bird rescuers want Blue's story to remind people to pick up fishing line and hooks and dispose of them properly.
