Blackpool Zoo's escaped Eastern white pelican rescued safe and well in Knarsborough North Yorkshire

The long-beaked Eastern white pelican was reportedly blown away from its enclosure by a gust of wind after it was spooked by a flock of seagulls on August 4 causing a Blackpool-wide hunt.

In the days that followed, there were confirmed sightings up and down the Fylde Coast and as far as Morecambe. But it's journey went far beyond that.

It was found in Knarsborough, more than 100 miles away.

A spokesman for Blackpool Zoo said: “We are delighted that the Eastern white pelican has been found safe and well.

“Positive sightings were reported at Hay-a-Park Gravel Pits waters in Knaresborough in North Yorkshire on the afternoon of Wednesday August 23 - keepers travelled from Blackpool to the site before successfully rescuing and returning the pelican.

“We have worked with avian experts as well as other organisations and agencies across the UK in our continued, round the clock efforts since it went missing.”

“A 24-hour hotline was set up and manned for the entirety of the search and keepers were called out at all hours, quickly responding to sightings at a moment’s notice.”

The 14-week-old bird captured the heart of a community with people doing their bit in reporting sightings and helping to keep track of its whereabouts.

“Our dedicated keepers have worked incredibly hard and were thrilled to bring the pelican home to Blackpool Zoo on Wednesday evening.

“It was extremely important for us to rescue this pelican and return it to its flock as they are very social birds and, as a non-native species, it needed to be back with its own kind.

“The pelican is now in our animal hospital where it has been given a full health check, had its wings clipped and will be quarantined before being returned to the flock in the near future.”

The pelican was never any threat to the public because they are docile creatures. Blackpool Zoo has housed the magnificent special for many years and is the only collectiion in the UK to have successfully bred them which makes the youngster’s return, special. It had only just grown its adult feathers, so it had not had its wings clipped, hence its escape.

“On behalf of everyone at the zoo we would like to sincerely thank the public for their invaluable help in this search.

“Many went above and beyond to assist by sending pictures, videos and exact coordinates of sightings, going back to locations to keep watch for hours on end and even bringing food

for keepers when they were responding to calls.

“Particular thanks go to a wonderful family in Knaresborough who saw keepers trying to reach the pelican in the lake on Wednesday and brought a kayak for them to use - without their kind gesture and support the rescue would not have been possible.”

“We look forward to seeing it out and about on pelican lake with the rest of its flock soon and we are sure that, now it is a local celebrity, lots of people will want to come and see it!”