Dangers To Wildlife.

[Charlie]

I thought I'd do a kind of picture post for you. I'm an avid conservationist and I like to keep an eye on things, an ear to the ground as it were. Well over the last year or so I've made friends with many animals, mainly wildfowl, but one or two others.

Well last week I was graced with two young swans (cygnets) that had decided to make their territory on the river behind my workshops. Well I feed them every day and now they will come to my call. Trusting, gentle, beautiful animals they are.

Anyway, I'm feeding them (by hand) today so they're way up close. I see a feather on the bigger birds left leg.....keep looking...that's line....fishing line. Man, I'm gutted, I look closer, I see a great big 2 oz lead and hook hanging with the main tangle, tight around his ankle.

I was in one of those dilemas...."did I see that?" Is it enough to call out the "police"?

I checked him out every fifteen minutes or so, eventually saw him standing mid river, trying to pluck this weight from his leg. Job done...he needs help.
I rang around and found a wildlife sanctuary or whatever. Great people, were there in next to no time.

I called the swans in to the bank via my usual whistle and the first attempt at catching the bird was a failure. He was too fast and now his confidence in me was gone. We decided to leave it there for fear of distressing him. Arrangements were made for the wildlife people to return at 4:30 and we'd try again. If no joy we'd try again in the morning when the birds would be queing up for me. (They're all waiting for me in the mornings, it's kind of a ritual now).

Anyway. 4:30 and just me and one ranger go down. To my relief he comes, real gingerly...behind his spouse which is most unusual. Suffice to say he was hooked out of the river by what I'd describe as a farmers crook, how his neck didn't break I'll never know. He went absolutely ballistic, spitting, hissing and biting. I took a few photos but approached. He allowed me to stroke his head and soothe him.....AWESOME.

In seconds his bond was cut, he was inspected, deemed ok and returned. The wildlife people thanked me...I thanked them...mutual thanking all round.

A really great feeling for all concerned. The swans/cygnets were still on the river when I left tonight....hopefully they'll still be there tomorrow.

Here's the snaps.

TIME TO GET PROFESSIONAL HELP


HERE THEY COME


IN REACH BUT WE MISSED HIM


ONE ANGRY CYGNET


SOFTENING NOW


THE ARTICLE CUT FROM HIS LEG, IMAGINE HOW TIGHT IT WOULD GET AS HE GREW


NOTE THE HOOK TO THE LEFT


Fortunately it all seems to have ended well. But Jeez, this magnificent animal could so easily have been maimed...or killed. Maybe we should invent line that becomes soluble after a few days.....anyway.

All's well that ends well. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 03-12-2003, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: Charlie ]

[Ladyzekke]

Ack that is one big fishing line! What is that? A lead weight on it as well?

Poor Swan! I'm glad he/she was freed of it and will be OK! Good going for you Charlie, you probably saved it from a long crippling painful death, and now it and its mate can grow up together [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Charlie]

Yes Wendy, it's a lead weight. I was once a fisherman and have lost lines and lead. It's not the fishermans idea to injure the bird. Most fisherfolk I know are the keenest of conservationists. It's time we found a new way methinks. How many millions of times does this go unreported, unseen....worldwide? Must be millions of birds and other animals dying yearly.

Trouble is...what way..what route? We'll never stop people fishing no more than we'll stop swans swimming.

And seeing as swans mate for life and I'm an old romantic at heart, it's a nice thought to think that I've helped secure their future. Thankyou. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[johnny]

Great job Charlie, the world needs more people like you.

[Ladyzekke]

I see what you are saying Charlie. I dunno what could be changed to stop the problem from happening. Your idea of soluble fishing line is a good one, but I can see trouble making it exactly. I mean, you don't of course want the line to melt in water quickly, so how long before it starts to weaken would be the main quandry. Can't be too soon, as some people fish for hours and hours, and they don't want to sit and fish for 5 hours, finally get a bite from a big fish, (da bomb LOL) and have the line snap cause it had weakened. Plus what if a person fishes for an hour? Does the line dry up and re-harden? Or is it now slightly weakened? Plus, on the other side of the coin, you wouldn't want the line to take too long to weaken, because the bird or other animal caught up in it could get cut by it and get an infection ect. the longer it is wrapped around it.

sigh.. I dunno, it truly IS a shame that kind of thing happens. But at least you got two of them fixed up Charlie, you made a difference, and I bet in the future you will see just how much of a difference, when you see in a year or two an entire family of them, all sprung from those two [img]smile.gif[/img]

[/)eathKiller]

Sweet story, i once rescued some baby sea turtles from buzzards [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Timber Loftis]

Good work. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]