Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Swan Watch X: A Disaster.

I am afraid I have some sad news about the swan family. While I was away at my mum’s Io was keeping an eye on the swans for all of us. On Wednesday last week she phoned me to let me know there was a problem. She and her boyfriend Damian found the mother swan and the two cygnets at one of the nearby ponds.

This is a piccie Io took of the three of them using her phone. Initially they all looked ok. But as Io watched they climbed out onto the bank and she saw that one of the cygnets had a huge wound on its leg that was in Io’s words ‘pouring blood’.

Io made the decision to call the RSPCA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to see if they could get someone out to help. They waited near the swans until an RSPCA volunteer arrived. The volunteer in question was unsure of what to do and phoned his boss for instructions.

In the end Io and Damian using RSPCA equipment caught the cygnet for the volunteer. Io says the poor thing seems to have been savaged by a dog. In addition to the bleeding wound there were also some ‘puncture wounds’.

The volunteer took the baby away to the shelter to be assessed by a vet. He said that if it was not too badly injured it would be treated and looked after until it was fit to be released. He did warn that if its injuries were too bad the vet would euthanize the poor thing.

Io was reasonably confident, she says that the baby was still moving around under its own steam and was eating before she caught it. Unfortunately, we have had no more news, Io has tried phoned the shelter a number of times but has not yet managed to talk to the people who were responsible for our cygnet. I will let you all know as soon as we know anything.

Now a couple of final photos Io took of mother swan and her remaining baby. I am probably imagining it but they seem rather forlorn to me.

13 comments:

Anne Gallagher said...

Oh no, I'm so sorry. I hope baby is all right. And yes, Mother does look forlorn.

I don't know why, I thought there were more cygnets, four instead of just the two.

Nasty dogs.

Al said...

Hi Anne,
Of course the dogs are just being what they are. The problem is owners who don't train or restrain their dogs properly.
I did post a piccie of another swan family at Ballarat a couple of months ago that had four cygnets, maybe that is why you thought four?

Kyna said...

Aw, nature can be cruel sometimes :(

There is a great wildlife rescue organization in my area, that my stepdaughter Lindsay volunteers for. They'll rescue any wildlife that's sick or hurt, which can sometimes be dangerous since these aren't domesticated pets. One time Lindsay had to help rescue a vulture. I hope that the cygnet comes out ok. :(

Jemi Fraser said...

How sad. I hope you hear something good soon about the poor little guy.

Hart Johnson said...

Poor little thing! I'm so glad the rescue people could get the cygnet to get him the medican help he needs. Hopefully he'll be alright--lucky to have people looking out for him to help!

Carolyn V. said...

Oh no. I'm so impressed that you would take such good care of it. I hope it will recover without too much difficulty.

Sarah Ahiers said...

awww that stinks. I hope he comes through.
On the bright side, it should make survival of the remaining cygnet easier.
Keeping my fingers crossed for the injured baby

Anonymous said...

Sad news indeed. Io and Damian did a good job in helping. Hopefully the cygnet will recover.

Old Kitty said...

Oh no!!! Oh no!!!!:-( Oh please please tell me that baby cygnet is ok?? Oh no!! Oh how awful!!

I'm so glad Io was there to rescue this poor baby - thank you for looking out for this family! It's so so sad!!

Please doggie owners - please always walk your doggies on a leash especially around other non-doggies! Especially around other wild creatures. How awful!

I shall try and be optimistic and hope the cygnet recovers.

Take care
x

Marguerite said...

Poor little cygnet! I do hope that it recovers. The mother does look rather sad, but is so beautiful!

Lisa said...

So sad! But at least you and Io have been keeping an eye on the family so that she was able to get help.

Theres just life said...

I am glad your daughter was able to get someone to help. I hope he will get better and rejoin his family soon. I hope you enjoyed your trip to your mother's birthday party.

Al said...

Hi Kyna,
I wouldn’t be too fussed if it was nature , but it makes me steamed when people don’t take responsibility for their pets. The danger of grabbing a cygnet is mainly the mother!

Hi Jemi,
I hope there is good news too.

Hi Hart,
The baby is lucky, hopefully it works out.

Hi Carolyn,
Here’s hoping!

Hi Sarah,
It does stink. Toes crossed too!

Hi Christine,
I was proud of how well Io and Damian handled themselves.

Hi Jennifer,
Alas still no news. Restrained and well trained doggies are vital for the safety of all concerned.

Hi Marguerite,
They are gorgeous creatures aren’t they?

Hi Lisa,
That is true I guess help came as quick as it could thanks to Io.

Hi Pamala Jo,
I ‘m glad too. And thank you I did have a lovely time at my Mum’s