“Based on the interviews, evidence, and information gathered to date, I find it unlikely an individual or group of individuals were intentionally causing harm to brown pelicans at the South Skyway Fishing Pier,” Freemon wrote in the investigation report finalized May 25.

“During the investigation, the FWC did not establish any credible leads, evidence, motives or suspects from past incidents involving injured brown pelicans,” he said.

Rebecca Schneider, an FWC regional species conservation biologist, assisted with the investigation and consulted with wildlife rehabilitators and pelican researchers about possible explanations for the “scalped” patterns on the pelicans’ heads.