Thursday, August 16th 2018, 11:01 pm BDTThursday, August 16th 2018, 11:15 pm BDT
By: Chelsea Donovan, General Assignment Reporter
A local bird rescue group says it has received six injured swans in 30 days. The birds from southeastern North Carolina require constant care.
"It is very unusual for us to receive this many at a time with various injuries," said volunteer Amelia Nash with Skywatch Bird Rescue.
Two of the injured swans came from Landfall, one came from Leland and another from Myrtle Beach.
"Many have to be tube fed," Nash said. "There are various injuries to wings, one with a limp, and the small cygnet has what we call angel wing, where it was fed poorly when it was young so the wing did not grow outward. It now can't fly."
It is costing the New Hanover County rescue group about $200 a month per swan for the rehabilitation process.
"These swans are not native species," Nash said. "They came over long ago from Europe so they can survive, but they cannot thrive here."
Nash said people like to have swans as pets for decorative purposes in their ponds, but doing so can shorten their lifespan.
"People buy these for ornamental purposes, but these birds are so far from home, they can't survive," Nash said. "People think they are helping when they give them bread and corn — empty nutrients — but it really adds to their detriment."
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