2/29/2024 0 Comments Great salt flats of utah![]() ![]() Forced down by fatigue, they were dying from hunger and thirst. ![]() ![]() Most likely spooked by coyotes, the adolescent pelicans fled the island, but their wings were not strong enough to fly the miles to fresh water for fish. Now, young pelicans are easy prey for coyotes crossing the land bridge created as the waters receded. The watery distance from the island to the mainland has protected the pelicans from predators. The lake’s Gunnison Island has been a sanctuary to one of the largest white pelican rookeries in North America, with as many as 20,000 nesting individuals. This was not a dream or a nightmare, but the first time I realized Great Salt Lake was in danger of disappearing. In feathered robes, they walk with the focus of fasting monks toward enlightenment or death. Through binoculars, I see they are pelicans, juveniles, gaunt and emaciated without water or food. From a distance, it is hard to tell whether the three figures walking the salt playa are human, bird or some other animal. ![]()
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