DCAS For The Birds, Too: Cormorant Wrapped In Fishing Line Rescued

BRANFORD, CT — Two of the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter's new animal control officers were summoned to help a possibly wounded Canada Goose in the Pine Orchard area of Branford last week. Not a goose, rather, the bird discovered by a good Samaritan turned out to be a cormorant wrapped in fishing line, the shelter posted to Facebook.

Shelter director Laura Burban said that officers untangled the waterbird, known to be an expert diver, and while it did not have any "open wounds," the webbed-footed fish-eater "was malnourished from not being able to fly and obtain food."

Burban said the bird "likely would have died" had the shelter not been called.

The cormorant is now in the care of Wildlife in Crisis, Inc. where it will be "fattened up and fully recover."

"Every day, we never know what types of animals may need our help, but the public can help us to spread the message that what you bring into areas, you should take out ! This bird was extremely lucky, but he likely would have died if a Good Samaritan hadn’t called us for help. Please be thoughtful," the DCAS post reads.