Young Swan saved by local wildlife rescue service

Trevor Weeks said that it was one of the worst entangled swans that he has seen in 39 years.

A young swan has been saved from drowning by two rowers and the local wildlife rescue from the River Ouse in Lewes on Wednesday evening (13th August 2024).

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service received a call from concerned members of the public around 5.30pm. WRAS founder Trevor Weeks MBE and his partner Kristy Sayer were in Ditchling attending to an injured blackbird. Once they were available, they headed to Lewes to further examine the situation.

A swan was discovered by the River next to Lewes Tesco. Trevor shared, "The swan was in distress, unable to lift its head or move its wings and legs freely because of the entangled fishing line. Every time it tried to break free, it would lose balance and end up submerged. We were afraid it might drown before we could rescue it."

WRAS had more rescuers on the way with a boat and water rescue equipment, although they were still some distance away. While rowing along the river, a couple of men offered their help. Since their boat was not very stable, caution was necessary. They skilfully guided the swan towards the bank with the boat's end, ensuring its safety. Despite a few tumbles, the swan managed to stay afloat. After a long and tense moment, the swan was finally close to the shore, allowing Trevor to use a swan hook to secure it, a challenging task due to the entangled line around its neck and body.

Once on the riverbank, rescuers managed to ease the pressure on the swan by cutting the line. It was discovered that a hook was embedded in the swan’s cheek. Line was also wrapped multiple times around the lower jaw and tongue. The line was also wrapped multiple times around the body, both legs and wings. “The light colour of the line made it challenging to see its direction. It was important not to tug on the line hastily as there could have been another hook hidden somewhere.” said Trevor.

Unfortunately, the swan had line tightly wrapped round one of its legs which was too difficult to remove out on site. The swan would need admission to ensure a ligature wound did not develop.

“This was one of the worst entangled swans I have encountered in my 39 years of wildlife rescue work! We extend our gratitude to the two rowers for their help in saving the swan's life, as their swift action saved the swan from further distress and saved valuable time.” said Trevor.

The swan is now at WRAS’s Casualty Centre recovering and is hoped to be releasable once fully recovered from its ordeal.

East Sussex WRAS is experiencing a particularly demanding year, having already handled over 4200 cases in 2024, surpassing the total for the entire year of 2019. The organization is managing 67 new cases daily, stretching its resources to the maximum. Trevor mentioned, "Our dedicated staff and volunteers are putting in tremendous effort to assist our local wildlife, despite the challenges. While many people seek updates on their cases, our focus remains on rescues and caring for the animals already under our supervision."

Anyone wanting to help my making a donation or volunteering should visit the charities website www.wildlifeambulance.org.