The pelican is among the oldest and most important of Louisiana symbols. Or should I should say “pelicans”?
A French ship named the the Pelican arrived in Louisiana on July 24, 1704, more than half a century before the United States even existed. It is thought that territorial governor William C.C. Claiborne was first to suggest depicting a pelican on Louisiana’s seal. A pelican feeding her young was depicted on the seal as early as 1804.
A Religious Symbol
The pelicans on the seal were associated with a Christian legend. It was said that a mother pelican would tear her breast open so that her young could drink her blood. Of course, this isn’t really true.
Some people said the pelicans represent the State of Louisiana: The mother pelican is the government that takes care of the people, represented by the young pelicans.
An Evolving Symbol
Because there was no official description of the seal, designs varied widely. Some seals depicted as many as twelve young pelicans in the nest. This is impossible, since pelicans rarely have more than three eggs at a time.
During the Civil War, the governors of Confederate Louisiana and the federal portion each had their own seal. The pelicans in each seal were slightly different.
In 1902, a particular design was formalized. Adopted on April 30, the new seal featured an adult pelican and three young.
In 1912, Louisiana adopted its state flag. It features Louisiana’s state motto, “Union, Justice and Confidence,” and the pelican group from the state seal in white and gold. Yet, the pelicans on the flag and seal are different. How can that be?
Brown versus White
The pelican on Louisiana’s state seal is brown. In fact, two species of pelicans live in Louisiana, the white and brown. The brown pelican is the more abundant of the two. It was adopted as Louisiana’s state bird in 1966.
I have read that the pelican was adopted as Louisiana’s state bird in July 1900. It could be that “the pelican” was adopted then, and the law was amended in 1966 to specify “brown pelican.”
Endangered Pelicans
Long ago, sailors killed pelicans for their pouches. They dried the pouches and used them to store tobacco.
A much more serious threat devastated Louisiana’s pelicans in the early 1960s. Biologists believe pesticides and environmental changes were to blame.
Fledgling pelicans were brought in from Florida. They were settled in wildlife refuges on Louisiana’s coast. With protection, Louisiana’s pelicans recovered.
Then came Hurricane Katrina, the federal government’s tragicomic response, relaxed environmental regulations and global warming. Clearly, Pelican lovers must remain vigilant.
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