Dotty the Pelican: Local Icon, Hook Magnet, and Professional Mooch
- Janina Speck
- May 16
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 5
Dotty's arrival in Agnes Water/1770
Dot (or Dotty, depending on her mood) came into the care of our amazing local wildlife carer Yvonne on May 16, 2024—one year ago today! She’d been found all the way up in Yeppoon, suffering from botulism and already receiving medication from a vet in Rockhampton. Botulism is a nasty bacterial toxin often found in stagnant or polluted water, and birds like Dot can pick it up by eating contaminated fish or just poking around in the wrong puddle. Left untreated, it causes paralysis and usually a very grim ending. Thankfully, Dot landed herself in the very best hands. Yvonne nursed her through the worst of it with fluids, meds, care, and probably a few stern chats about making better life choices. She was released right here in Seventeen Seventy on October 12, 2024, ready to start her new life—with a bit of attitude and a big appetite.
Dot the hook magnet
Young, feisty, and just a little too comfortable around humans, she set up shop at Monument Point—a favourite fishing spot for both locals and tourists. Not that she was interested in fishing herself, mind you. Oh no. Dotty’s specialty is waiting for someone else to do the hard work, then swooping in to claim the spoils. I even wtached her a few times trying to steal a snack from someones esky. Brazen doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Naturally, this sort of freeloading eventually caused some problems. A few weeks ago, Dotty turned up with a fishing hook in her beak and a lure in her wing. Again. We’ve lost count of how many times this poor bird has been patched up—but rest assured, she’s out again, looking as good as ever and also still as cheeky as ever.
And she CAN actually feed herself. We've watched and videoed her! She is just lazy and chooses to use the drive through fast food outlets us humans offer her!
She’s a crowd favourite on our kayak tours, often seen cruising the sandbank or hanging at monument point like she owns the place (which, to be fair, she kind of does). If you meet her, give her space, be kind, and definitely keep your snacks to yourself—unless you want to be mugged by a pelican with a guilty conscience and no manners.
Want to know a bit more about pelicans in general? Check out this blog we wrote.
Professional Mooch and photobomb expert Dot
About Yvonne (AKA the wildlife whisperer)
Yvonne—our local wildlife carer who saved Dotty (and many, many other native animals!!!)—is an absolute legend. She’s been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in the Agnes Water/1770 area for many, many years. Orphaned joeys, injured birds, sick possums—you name it, Yvonne’s cared for it. She works every day, without pay, without government funding, and often without enough supplies.
We’re setting up a GoFundMe (update: the fundraiser is now closed and we are happy to annpunce that we raised over $3500 for Yvonnes work.) to help her keep doing what she does best: saving animals like Dotty and giving them a second chance. The money raised will go directly to:
Specialised formula and food
Vet bills and emergency treatments
Enclosure maintenance and rescue gear
Fuel for rescues and releases
Essentials like heat pads, wraps, gloves and carriers
Even the smallest donation makes a real difference.
So what now?
Come out on our Nature tour and you might spot Dotty living her best life—eyeing off someones bait, judging your paddling form, or just hanging out like she owns the joint. And if you do, say hi, and remember: she’s not just a pelican. She’s a local legend, raised by one of our town’s real heroes.
Stay kind. Stay curious. Watch out for beaks.
