Meet the swan who waited every day for his mate to return
A rescue swan has been reunited with her mate - who waited patiently for her every day at the same spot for two months.
The female was rescued by the RSPCA in January and local the male swan waited every day from dawn until dusk for her to return.
The pair are so well known in their Suffolk village that locals have tagged them Mr and Mrs Swan.
The female swan was collected by RSPCA animal collection officer Natalie Read on January 9 from Cavendish, south of Bury St Edmunds, after she was safely confined by a kind-hearted member of the public who was concerned she had a mysterious growth on her foot. She was struggling to walk, said the RSPCA.
The swan was taken to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk, where vets removed the growth.
She spent the next few weeks being rehabilitated until she was strong enough for her release back to the wild.
Natalie was able to release the swan back to the location last week and, when she arrived, the swan’s mate was sitting on the river bank close to where the female was originally collected.
It is understood the swans have been together for a number of years and are affectionately called Mr and Mrs Swan by villagers. The pair would often be seen at the village pond or along the River Stour which run through the village.
The resident who kindly confined the swan and called the RSPCA has been regularly feeding and watching them for a number of years - and said that when the female was taken away the male swan would wait from dawn until dusk every day for her return.
Natalie said: “It was just so lovely to release this swan and I was really happy to see that the male was waiting for her on the river bank at the almost exact spot that I had collected her from.
“The lovely member of the public who had reported the swan to us lives at the location and told me that the male swan had actually been sitting there everyday waiting for her to return.
“It was really wonderful to watch them reunite and they even started to do a little courtship dance as well. I’m so happy we were able to reunite them and it really did make my day to see them swim off together again - it’s one of the best parts of this job seeing an animal who has been rehabilitated then returned back to the wild.”
The RSPCA advises members of the public should not attempt to handle or transport an injured swan, keep a safe distance and call the RSPCA 24-hour advice and emergency line on 0300 1234 999.
For more information on what to do if you find a wild animal in need of help, visit the RSPCA website at: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/injuredanimals
To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wild animals in desperate need of care please visit our website or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181.
