New recycling stations aim to protect wildlife in Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)—A day of fishing turned into a wildlife rescue for George Murray and his family after they discovered a snowy egret tangled in fishing line near mangroves in Southwest Florida.

“We noticed a bird in distress in the mangrove, flapping its wings, legs trapped,” Murray said.

His son cut the bird free while Murray’s friend contacted wildlife officials. The group later met staff from the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) to transfer the egret for treatment.

“This bird was not gonna do good trapped in the mangroves like that, flapping his wings, uncomfortable,” Murray said.

Despite the rescue effort, the bird’s injuries were too severe.

According to Dr. Kaitlyn Crocker, a veterinary intern with CROW, the egret suffered a serious injury that left it unable to recover.

“The animal had an open luxation of its wrist,” Crocker said. “Its bones were exposed through the wound, and the wrist was completely dislocated.”

Dr. Jessica Comolli, CROW research and medical director, who is a board-certified specialist in zoological medicine, shared this statement with WINK News.

"We are grateful to the fisherman who stopped to help this snowy egret after finding it tangled in monofilament line. Unfortunately, despite the rescue effort, the bird’s injuries were too severe, and humane euthanasia was the kindest option. This case highlights the importance of properly disposing of fishing line and supporting programs like ‘Mind Your Line’ that help prevent these tragedies."

The case is one of many similar injuries wildlife rehabilitators see throughout the year.

“On average, probably at least once a week, we see an animal come in with some kind of fishing line or hook injury,” Crocker said.

CROW says birds are not the only animals affected. Turtles and other wildlife are also treated for injuries caused by fishing hooks and discarded line.

The rescue comes as the City of Fort Myers recently installed new fishing line recycling stations at Riverside Pier and Tarpon Pier.

The project began as an Eagle Scout initiative after a local scout approached the city with the idea. Scout Troop 2018 later spent a weekend cleaning the parks and installing the stations.

Local anglers say the stations provide a simple way to keep old fishing line out of local waterways.

Jotahmion Centaurs, who fish throughout Southwest Florida, said many anglers have struggled to find convenient places to dispose of used line.

“It’s not even about catching the fish,” Centaurs said. “It’s about the basics of being able to go out there and catch another fish, because bottles, line, all that messes up the ecosystem.”

Murray hopes that sharing the egret’s story encourages more people to properly dispose of fishing line.

“As a boater, as a fisherman, I look for that,” Murray said. “We get spools. The line gets old. You have to take it off the reel and deposit it in the proper place.”

Wildlife experts recommend that anyone who finds an animal tangled in fishing line contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator rather than simply cutting the line and releasing the animal.