Local Group Saves Prospect Park Swans After Apparent Dog Attack

By Michael Gonik

Two young swans, or cygnets, are on their way to recovery after getting roughed up in a suspected off-leash dog attack in Prospect Park.

The giant, majestic white birds, known for sauntering around the lake on the southern end of the park this time of year, were reportedly rescued by a local wildlife group called, fittingly, “The Swan Squad,” on December 14, a day after they were spotted battered and bloodied by a vigilant parkgoer, according to Brooklyn Paper.

The group jumped into action once park rangers had been given a shot at wrangling the birds, and managed to successfully snag the rattled duo. The pair of sibling cygnets, part of a seemingly famous family of swans tightly monitered since hatching this past summer, both sustained lacerations above their right eyes, and are currently being treated for their injuries at the Wild Bird Fund in Manhattan. “Both were injured over their right eye, and they are not consistent with swan-on-swan attacks, said Mary Beth Artz, a member of the Squad. “This is a family, these cygnets are only seven months old. They’re not being pushed out yet by their parents, they’re not aggressive with one another … these are consistent with a probable dog attack,” Artz added.

Rachel Frank, a member of the Wild Bird Fund who has treated birds with simiilar injuries and is currently rehabilitating the rescued swans, backed up Artz’s suspicions, noting swans are too big to be randomly attacked by natural predators, and the injuries do not appear to be related to other common threats to the swans, like fishing lines, which were tangled around the neck of another swan when the Squad hit the scene. Frank does, however, believe it’s “pretty likely” both will recover enough to be safely returned to their families along the water.