Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary

Student documentary on the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary:

The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary formed in 1971 by zoologist Ralph T. Heath. It is a nonprofit organization admitting up to 8,000 birds a year making it the largest wild bird hospital and bird sanctuary in the U.S. The sanctuary's mission statement is to rescue, repair, rehabilitate and release injured birds back into the wild. It's claim to fame is known as being the first facility to breed Eastern Brown Pelicans in captivity.
Its location is double ended. You can access the sanctuary via northern Gulf Boulevard, or walk directly into the sanctuary from the beach. Many birds such as Black Skimmers make nests on the beach just outside of the sanctuary. Beach nesting birds such as the Black Skimmer is one of the reasons preserving our sandy shores is vital to the ecosystem. Encroaching on their territory with tourism, dog walkers and pollution is a big deterrent to their nesting site.
The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary is equipped with its own hospital. Just like any other hospital is has all the necessary features; emergency facilities, a surgical center, bird injury recovery areas, and an outdoor wild bird recuperation area. People from all around the St. Petersburg area can call the sanctuary if they find an injured bird. An employee or volunteer will come pick the bird up when they can, or else the good samaritan can bring the bird to the sanctuary themselves.
Once a bird is in the sanctuary their wounds will be diagnosed and treated. There is a fenced in enclosure for the injured birds to recover from their injuries and it will be determined if the bird can be released back into the wild. Over 600 birds are featured in the sanctuary's display areas. These birds are too injured to be released back into the wild. When mating and offspring occur, the offspring are released into their natural habitat.
Being a nonprofit organization the sanctuary has limited funding and mostly could use more space to house more birds. On average it takes about one million dollars a year to save the birds. About ninety percent of the birds injuries are caused by humans and around thirty birds are admitted to the sanctuary every day.