Veterinarians at the International Bird Rescue center in San Pedro said Wednesday that a mutilated California brown pelican whose pouch was stabbed and slashed faces the first of possibly several surgeries Sunday to thread in hundreds of stitches. The bird was found in the 5400 block of Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach on April 16 and has been recuperating at the bird center, with temporary staples holding the pouch intact until the pelican is strong enough for surgery. Also on Wednesday, authorities announced they have increased a $2,500 reward to $7,500 — thanks to the Animal Legal Defense Fund along with individual supporters — for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who injured the animal. Anyone with information is asked to call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 310-328-1516.