Pelicans get shelter in So. Fla. after T.S. Debby

NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Pelicans from the Panhandle have been brought to South Florida after Tropical Storm Debby.

Orphaned pelicans from the Florida Panhandle are now at the Pelican Harbor Seabird station in North Bay Village. "The animals were physically washed off their nesting site by the heavy surf and high winds," said Brian Fox, the Director at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station. "They were washed onto the beaches near Crawfordville, Florida. Our colleague found them and recovered them."

A dozen pelicans have now arrived to recover from a brush with Tropical Storm Debby. Some need shelter, medical attention, but most of all, they need food. "They're eating fish, and they are inhaling them. That's our largest expense with these guys. Each can put away several pounds of fish a day," said Fox.

The pelicans, especially the babies, will be brought along slowly until they are strong enough to stand on their own two feet. "As they get older, they will transition to some of our enclosures with large adult pelicans. They will begin to socialize with pelicans and learn to feed themselves," said Fox.

Most likely, the birds will become permanent residents of South Florida, living the rest of their lives on Biscayne Bay. They are set to be released in a few months.

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