Zoo database

Great white pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Natural diet Great white pelican

Great White pelicans are carnivores (piscivores). They primarily consume fish such as cichlids and carp. Also small invertebrates may be eaten but this is a small fraction.

Fish
Fish

Feeding advice Great white pelican

Feed quantity per day

10-15%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 11 kg and eats 13% of its body weight, it will get
 
11 x 0.13 = 1.43 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

99% Fish products
1% Supplements

Proportions (fresh product)

0.99 x 1.43 kg = 1,416 g fish products
0.01 x 1.43 kg = 14 g supplements

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of fish

Whole fish

Supplements

Not recommended

Bread

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Hypervitaminosis E
  • Osteodystrophy

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • When feeding thawed whole fish, then supplementation is recommended.
  • The supplements should be given according to the appropriate dosage that is mentioned on the labelling.
  • Avoid feeding bread as the high starch content may cause gastro-intestinal disturbances.
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by using feeding puzzles and scatter feeding (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).