Pair of rescued pelicans find a warm home at brand-new Wildlife Haven building

A pair of pelicans have become the first birds to move in to a brand-newbuilding for waterfowl at the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.

One of the pelicans, which is just a baby, was found in early September by a farmer in a field near Pansy, Man., weak and unable to fly.

Volunteers at the rescue near Ile des Chenesfed it through a tubeand nursed it back to health.

"What we figured happened is that the flock started to migrate south and this young pelican got away from the flock and was grounded and was too weak to keep going and survive," said Zo Nakata, executive director of the centre.

"So we're so grateful that these farmers stepped in to give us a call."

The second pelican came to the centre on Dec. 22 after it was found near Lockport, Man. Staff there aren't sure why it didn't fly south for the winter, as it is in good physical health.

The two birds moved into a nearly 400-square-metrebuilding, the first to be open in the brand new, $3-million campus for the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.

The building is much bigger than the enclosure the birds were staying in before, and has geothermal heat andtwo pools where they can swim, Nakata said.

Before, the only water the birds could use was a small tub, but it was mainly used for eating fish, Nakata said.

"That's a big contrast for them. It was also very drafty and cold, so the new one will be quite warm and comfortable, and much, much bigger so they'll be able to roam around freely."

The plan is to care for the pelicans until the spring.

This was the first year the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre has cared for pelicans, as they wouldn't have had the facilities for it without the new building.

"This year we we did keep the pelicans, knowing that the move to the new building was imminent," Nakata said.

In the past, the centre would have found another organization that could have taken them on, she said.

Wildlife haven expects to be fully moved in to its new campus by January, which is anticipated to vastly improve the level of care they are able to give, Nakata said.

"We'll know that we'll be able to give the best care possible to all of our injured and and sick wildlife and also be much more comfortable for our staff and volunteers."

With files from Janice Grant