Unusual orange pelican rescued by Israeli vets

An unusual orange-plumed pelican was rescued by Israeli vets after it broke its wing while migrating through the country. A coloured pelican has rarely been encountered before, as the animal is normally white.

Ramat Gan, Central Israel: An unusual orange-plumed pelican was rescued by Israeli vets after it broke its wing while migrating through the country.

A coloured pelican has rarely been encountered before, as the animal is normally white.

Sagit Horowitz of Ramat Gan Safari Park said they immediately tried cleaning it to make sure it wasn't painted or dirty.

They could not explain how the animal naturally developed its orange colour.

She said a Greek researcher suggested it may have come from oxidized water which could change the colour of the plumes - but it was difficult to know for certain.