Trooper Frees Pelican Stuck on Fishing Hook

An Oklahoma highway trooper spotted a pelican caught on a fishing hook on Thursday morning, April 18, and acted quickly to free the bird, footage shows.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Trooper Ryan Griffith is seen in this footage caring for the stuck bird, which he came across on Lake Keystone in Westport on Thursday morning.

Griffith gently holds the pelican’s webbed foot and removes the hook, sending the bird flapping away in the water.

“Got a little hole in his foot, but I think he’ll be okay,” Griffith is heard saying in the video. “Mission success. Looks like all his buddies are over there,” the trooper says, showing a group of birds across the water.

Storyful reached out to the OHP for more information on the rescue, but did not hear back by the time of publication. Credit: OHPDPS via Storyful

Video transcript

- This ought to be interesting. It definitely got something hung around his leg. But you can kind of see where we are, too, Cowskin Bay North, so. I don't know what he's hung up on, but he's hung up on something. But got me some good hip waders, so see if I can make it out there to him without getting wet. Send you an update in a minute.

[WIND BLOWING]

[INAUDIBLE] here. [INAUDIBLE].

Looks like a trotline with a hook in it, but I was able to get him loose. He's got a little hole in his-- got a little hole in his foot, but I think he'll be OK. It'll probably heal up. It'll be tender for a little bit. But mission success. Looks like all of his buddies are over there. They're all saying, dude, we told you not to mess with that hook. But he didn't listen, so they're all laughing at him right now. But he'll probably go take care of him here in a little bit. Be back with them.