Over by Waterfowl Lake, more than a dozen pelicans had been introduced.
One pelican, seemingly tired from swimming, wobbled its way onto the wooden perch on the shore.
Because of their huge beaks, pelicans have head-heavy, unsteady gaits, and they walk with a comical, staggering motion that can be quite humorous to watch.
An animal keeper was nearby, explaining to the visitors, "Just now, I heard a kid calling it a 'big-mouthed bird,' which is indeed quite descriptive, ha. However, its formal name is pelican, which has nothing to do with the 'ti' of 'enlightenment.'
There's a legend that once a person who stole a slice of meat was chased to the river's edge. Desperate, he bit into the meat and jumped into the river, refusing to let go until he died. Later, that person turned into a pelican, and the stolen meat grew together with him, becoming the large pouch under the pelican's beak."
