When eight young swans were found on a road in Somerset last week, it was clear that they needed help.
A member of the public contacted Secret World Wildlife Rescue after discovering the cygnets on the road. They managed to secure the birds safely in a temporary pen with the police in attendance, but there was an immediate problem: there was no sign of their parents.
An unusual situation for Secret World
Under normal circumstances, Secret World Wildlife Rescue would not admit this group.
We are currently not routinely admitting waterbirds because we are not set up to provide ongoing waterbird care. Our current operations mean the risk of avian influenza spreading through our centre poses a significant risk to the rest of our wildlife hospital and the animals in our care.
That does not mean we are unable to help waterbirds though.
Our teams can attend incidents to relocate birds where appropriate, provide advice and signpost members of the public to other trusted organisations we work with, such as RSPCA West Hatch. Where a waterbird is suffering and euthanasia is required in the interests of welfare, our team can also assist.
This case, however, was different.
Other suitable rescues were unable to admit the group, leaving eight healthy young cygnets without somewhere appropriate to go.
Reviewing the risks
Because of the exceptional circumstances, our team reviewed the situation carefully.
Additional protocols and risk assessments were put in place to manage the biosecurity risks associated with admitting the birds. The cygnets were kept separate from the rest of the wildlife hospital, with measures in place to minimise any potential risk to the wider operation.
The birds were also generally healthy, admitted as an isolated family group and, being summer, the seasonal risk of avian influenza was considered lower.
Following this assessment, the decision was made that we could safely provide them with temporary care.
A team effort
Once the decision had been made, our rescue team had to move quickly.
Members of the Wildlife Care Team responded to the incident, while colleagues from other departments stepped away from their own work to lend a hand. Moving eight young swans safely requires several people, careful handling and suitable equipment, so this really was a whole-team effort.
At the scene, the cygnets were placed into swan wraps to help keep them secure during transport.
They were then carried back to our wildlife ambulance in bags kindly provided by our friends at IKEA. These large, strong bags are surprisingly useful when it comes to safely transporting swans and other large waterbirds.
Once everyone was safely aboard, the group made their way back to Secret World. We’d like to thank the members of public who reported the cygnets and stayed with them and the police for attending and making it possible to rescue the cygnets safely.
Settling into their temporary accommodation
Back at Secret World, the cygnets were moved into our dedicated waterfowl accommodation, where they could be monitored while remaining isolated from the wider wildlife hospital.
Unfortunately, one of the cygnets was considerably weaker than the others when they arrived.
Despite our team providing more intensive care, their condition did not improve sufficiently. After assessing the birds welfare, the difficult decision was made to euthanase the cygnet. A post-mortem revealed an old leg fracture that had not healed correctly, if left in the wild this bird would have gradually become weaker and passed away.
The group remained at Secret World for just under a week, this period was an important part of the additional biosecurity measures introduced for this exceptional admission.
A family waiting for them
The cygnets’ parents were spotted at a nearby lake, along with the two other surviving cygnets from the original family. So, just under a week after their arrival at Secret World the cygnets were cleared for release. Once again the cygnets were wrapped up, placed in their IKEA bags and popped into the ambulance.
The cygnets made it abundantly clear that they knew where they were on arrival at the lake with lots of chirping and excited movements. Once on the lake they were reunited with Dad and one of the other cygnets.
Why we’re sharing this story
This rescue is an opportunity to reiterate the ways in which we can help waterbirds. We know that members of the public want to help when they see a waterbird in difficulty. Calling Secret World for advice is definitely the best thing you can do.
Our current policy remains that we do not routinely admit waterbirds, because doing so could introduce significant biosecurity risks to our wider wildlife rescue operation.
Upon answering your call, our team can assess what is happening, advise you on the safest course of action and, where appropriate, relocate birds or signpost you to another suitable rescue.
In this case, the circumstances were exceptional. By reviewing the risks, putting additional controls in place and working together as a team, we were able to give this particular group somewhere safe to stay until they were ready return home.
For more information about on what to do if you find an animal in difficulty, click here.
Cygnets being assessed by SWWR vet
Cygnets in swan wraps
Cygnets on scene
