HIS comical waddle and loving personality has made Solo, the Eastern white pelican, a huge hit at the Umgeni River Bird Park. The young water bird is just over nine months old and already tops the scales at an impressive 10.5 kilograms.
Grant Aggett-Cox (education and marketing manager at the park) said visitors to the park had become smitten with Solo, whose sociable personality has won him over many fans.
“He is currently in training for the show and is picking up his routine very quickly, he normally comes out after the two shows and meets the visitors,” he said.
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Aggett-Cox said one of the most surprising facts about Solo, was he didn’t like water.
“Whoever heard of a pelican afraid of water? At first he was reluctant to get into the pool we have at auditorium where we do our shows but he has slowly grown accustomed to it. We are busy trying to conduct a routine that shows how a pelican lands in the water, almost skidding across the surface,” he said.
He added another important aspect of the show was about the danger of plastic in our oceans and posing a threat to birds like Solo.
Read also: Groundbreaking hornbill research done at bird park
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