Feeding Lanky

Well after writing about Lanky on Wednesday I went out on section with Phil the bird keeper. I was lucky enough to feed Lanky.
First we had to cut up his fish. We filleted (cut the meat off) five medium sized fish and then cut that into small chunks - roughly about 5cm squares. That is his two meals for the day.
I had to throw the fish into Lanky's beak. He lunges forward as he catches it - and that is a pretty big beak to lunge at you. It made me jump a bit the first time.
He has a real routine - he has about the first third of his meal standing by the fence and for the rest he is swimming in the water.

Sometimes Lanky decides he doesn't like a piece of fish and drops it on the ground. Then you have to break the fish up even smaller with you hands. Other times he pretends he wants the fish then ducks his head out of the way - naughty Lanky!

Lanky

This is Lanky. He is one of the oldest animals at Wellington Zoo, he is about 36 years old.

He is an Australian Pelican. Lanky is a bit fussy and will only eat his fish if it's cut up. If you are lucky visiting the zoo then you might see him being fed by the keepers - throwing bits of fish into his great big beak. A pelican that lived at Wellington Zoo before Lanky has the world record as the oldest known pelican. His name was Percy and he  lived to be 62 years old.

My questions today are about Lanky's beak. It's a pretty big beak and with that throat pouch underneath  it can hold an awful lot. 

Why would he need a beak like that? What could he carry in it? Does he carry things or is it for something else?

Look at the close up of the end of Lanky's beak. Can you see the big hook shape on the end? I wonder what that could be for?

(remember these are not a run to the internet to find the answer questions - I want you to think hard and tell your answers to someone else, have a discussion)