The Dying Swans

[Sim]

Hi all.  I have just been reading a very sad story about a male swan being killed whilst guarding his eggs.  The eggs were then stolen.  That was in North Yorkshire.  A similar event happened in Lincolnshire recently....two nesting swans being killed and their seven eggs stolen.  These beautiful creatures mate for life, so imagine the distress of the pens when they have lost their mate and their babies.  

 

Swans have inspired so much beauty in ballet and elsewhere.  They don't harm anyone and yet are being murdered so that, apparently, gangs can get their eggs.  What on Earth do they do with them?  This savagery is a disgrace so if anyone lives near a 'swan lake' please be vigilant and keep your eyes open to any strange goings on.  These beautiful creatures don't deserve this;  they are protected in law and it's a crime to kill or harm them, so if you see/hear anything suspicious, please report it to the authorities.  Thank you.

[Jan McNulty]

That is so awfully sad and absolutely horrific Sim.

[Balletfanp]

How awful 😢. I don’t understand why they would need the eggs.

[Ruby]

This is so very sad to read Sim. I will never understand why anyone would feel the need to harm or kill such beautiful birds and steal their eggs. I live near the Birmingham/Worcestershire canal and walk along it most days. Over the past couple of weeks I've been able to enjoy watching the newly born tiny ducklings and goslings swimming along  and how anyone would want to harm them is beyond me. 

[LinMM]

Such pointless cruelty what on Earth do they do with the eggs I can hardly believe there’s some sort of black market for Swans eggs 😥

[zxDaveM]

11 hours ago, Balletfanp said:

How awful 😢. I don’t understand why they would need the eggs.

 

either egg collectors, or to make very large omlettes. If the latter, I hope they choke on them; if the former, I hope they are caught and heavily fined

Even worse, it could be horrible, ill brought up children, having a 'laugh'

[AnneMarriott]

8 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

either egg collectors, or to make very large omlettes. If the latter, I hope they choke on them; if the former, I hope they are caught and heavily fined

Even worse, it could be horrible, ill brought up children, having a 'laugh'

I understand swans are highly sought after in the Middle East for ponds in private gardens.  Perhaps the egg-stealers are incubating them and smuggling them - easier than trying to export protected fully grown birds.  Just a theory of my own.

 

On the ill brought up children front, I did once remonstrate with a group of young thugs throwing rocks at a pair of swans and their cygnets on our local river.  I wasn't polite - something along the lines of "what miserable little lives you morons must lead if all you can do is try to hurt something beautiful".  To my surprise (and relief) they had the grace to look a bit embarrassed and shuffled off muttering.  Luckily I couldn't hear what they were saying.