The New Orleans Pelicans' mascot is getting a makeover.
The team announced Monday that Pierre the Pelican will have reconstructive surgery for "a broken beak," which it reportedly suffered after running into a basket stanchion during a game with other mascots.
"This will be a rather unconventional surgery for us," Pelicans team physician Dr. Matthew McQueen said in a statement. "I am not sure we have something to compare this to. It will be quite complicated and will require the use of some unconventional tools and instruments to reconstruct his beak."
The tongue-in-cheek announcement also featured a statement from Carolyn Atherton, the curator of birds for the Audubon Zoo.
"We do see a lot of head trauma cases with pelicans," Atherton said. "Since they are the plunge-divers, sometimes they'll hit sharp objects and a lot of times, they'll have tears in their pouch or even eye problems. We've had quite a few pelicans we've treated for injuries similar to Pierre's. After they've been treated, they've all come back looking bigger, stronger, faster and ready to take on the world."
Grantland's Zach Lowe reported on Jan. 22 that New Orleans would re-design the mascot's head to make it "less scary." The Pelicans unveiled Pierre on Oct. 30, 2013, the team's first game as the Pelicans.
