 Where pelicans interact with fishers , through either sharing the same waters or scavenging for fishing refuse , they are especially vulnerable to being hooked and entangled in both active and discarded fishing lines . Fish hooks are swallowed or catch in the skin of the pouch or webbed feet , and strong monofilament fishing line can become wound around bill , wings or legs , resulting in crippling , starvation , and often death . Local rescue organisations have been established in North America and Australia by volunteers to treat and rehabilitate injured pelicans and other wildlife . 
