Community effort reunites missing cygnet with family

A cygnet has been rescued and reunited with its family after becoming separated during a firework display. 

A huge community effort co-ordinated through social media has brought a lost cygnet back to its family after it was separated during the fireworks on Saturday night. 

This season, two mute swans have raised seven cygnets at the head of the Kingsbridge Estuary. This is much higher than the average survival rates of cygnets, with only 30-50% of swans reaching adulthood and most breeding pairs only managing to raise two or three babies to juvenile age.  

When the cygnets were little - Olivia Rossetti 

Olivia Rossetti had been following the swan family's progress over the last few months and watched as one of the cygnets got separated from its family and dart off during the "smoke and confusion" of Saturday evening's fireworks, later it "was seen swimming alone, heading down the estuary past the Crabshell towards Salcombe".

Swans are reliant on their parents until at least the age of four to six months, with this little cygnet being just two months old. 

Olivia said: "It was seen again on Sunday morning further down the estuary near Lincombe, but despite residents searching the water over the following two days, it remained missing."

Olivia took to social media and shared an appeal for information on Facebook for anyone who had spotted the cygnet.

Olivia continued: "So many people showed genuine care and concern, keeping an eye out, sharing information, offering help and searching the estuary. It was incredibly heartening to see how deeply our community cares about the wildlife we're lucky enough to share this estuary with, and in particular how fond our community has become of the Kingsbridge swan family, with so many people following their progress."

On Monday lunchtime there was a spark of hope as the cygnet was spotted on the water near South Pool Creek and the Harbour Authority was alerted. 

A member of the Harbour Authority team travelled out by launch and, together with one of the sailing school owners, safely captured the cygnet. The Harbour Authority office then contacted local residents living near the swans' nesting site to let them know the cygnet had been found and was on its way home.

Rescued - Olivia Rossetti 

Olivia continued: "A small group of local residents and I met the boat on its return to Kingsbridge and took the cygnet into our care. We looked after it while seeking guidance from Ash Rescue Centre and a specialist swan rescue organisation on the safest way to reunite it with its parents.

"There was some concern that, after being separated for almost two days, its parents might reject it. However, as we were confident it belonged to this swan family and it was still just within the recommended 48-hour window, we were advised it should be safe to return it to the nesting site.

"Happily, the reunion could not have gone better. The cygnet was immediately accepted by its parents and six siblings."

Reunited with Mum - Annie Bartley

Olivia added: "The outcome was a huge relief for everyone involved and was only possible because so many people came together to help. It was a wonderful example of a community working together to protect the wildlife that makes the Kingsbridge Estuary such a special place.

"Although this story had the happiest of endings, I hope it also encourages us to think about how we can continue working together to help protect the wildlife and natural environment that make the Kingsbridge Estuary so special. Even small changes can make a difference."

The swan family are back together again - Annie Bartley