A female brown booby is seen in this undated handout photo.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, BCSPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre
February 05, 2018 - 9:40 AM
VICTORIA - A tropical seabird rescued by a Vancouver Island animal rehabilitation centre last week has died.
The British Columbia SPCA's wild animal rehabilitation centre says the brown booby was in critical condition when it was discovered on the Victoria waterfront last Monday.
Spokeswoman Marguerite Sans says despite intensive care by specialized staff, the bird's health declined dramatically over the weekend.
Sans says tube feeding, antibiotics and pain relief were not enough to reverse the bird's desperate condition, and staff are finding solace in the fact it is no longer suffering.
The bird is usually spotted in Mexico, California and Hawaii, where it's renowned for dramatic 20-metre plunges into the sea to catch food such as squid and anchovies.
Sans has it wasn't clear why the bird ended up so far north, although recent storms could have affected its migration.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2018