The Metropolis

The Pelican Grief: St James's Park mourns an untimely death

Mike Pollitt | Friday 5 August, 2011 11:17

●

Pelican refused admission to London restaurant

Rusalka, the St James’s Park Pelican known for sitting on benches and generally being friendly, has died after failing to recover from an operation on her foot.

She came to the park from Prague Zoo in 1995, with her long time partner Vaclav. The two could frequently be seen socialising with tourists, threatening toddlers, eating pigeons, and generally being cool.

A spokesman for the Royal Parks said staff were “deeply saddened” by her passing. As she takes the Pelican crossing to the other side, let us take a moment to remember her. For she never let her adopted city down.

The remaining Pelicans, despite their grief, appeared in good health last night. Although they were on a rock very far away so it was quite hard to see. Our thoughts are with them.

Photo, believed to be of Rusalka, from shakespearesmonkey on Flickr

Filed in:

Snipe Highlights

Some popular articles from past years

  1. Could red kites be London's next big nature success story?
  2. Number of people using Thames cable car plunges
  3. London has chosen its mayor, but why can’t it choose its own media?
  4. Punk brewery just as sexist and homophobic as the industry they rail against
  5. Summer Camp: Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days
  6. Margaret Thatcher statue rejected by public
  7. The five best places in London to have an epiphany
  8. Peter Bayley has worked for 50 years as a cinema projectionist in East Finchley
  9. An interview with Desiree Akhavan
  10. Only 16 commuters touch in to Emirates Air Line, figures reveal