7th
September
By Martin
Lea @DorsetEchoMart
A family
of swans are feared dead after being stolen from a Weymouth bird reserve in a
shocking theft which has left wardens saddened.
Thieves
‘forcibly removed’ the protected birds – two adults and five cygnets – from
their home in Radipole Lake.
Shockingly,
some entrails were found along with feathers in a ‘neat pile’ close to where
the swans rest up at night in the inner part of the lake. It is accessed by the
Buddleia Loop trail towards the northern end of the popular wetlands reserve.
It is
thought the thieves parked their vehicle used to transport the birds on the
nearby Weymouth Way as a feather trail was discovered leading out of the
reserve to a lay-by on the road.
Wardens
say the theft of so many swans in one raid is ‘unheard of.’
Swans are
protected under the 1981 Wildlife Countryside Act which makes it illegal to
keep or kill them.
The theft
has been reported to the police and visitors to the reserve are being asked to
be vigilant for any suspicious activity in case the thieves strike again.
Swan
warden Derek Davey said it was a ‘sad case’.
He said:
“Five cygnets and two adult swans have gone missing from the inner part of
Radipole Lake. The swans were found to be missing earlier in the week.
“Evidence
points to the swans being removed, by whom it is not yet known.”
He added:
“I have no idea why anyone would take them but I suspect harm has come to them.
They have been removed by force.”
Mr Davey
said the swans could not have flown away as one of the adults is in molt and
the cygnets were also unable to fly. Also, swans are very territorial so other
birds would not have let the family move onto their patch.
He added:
“The missing swans have been reported to the police, and I ask people to be
vigilant and report any suspicious activity around the Radipole Lake nature
reserve, to take note of any vehicles and call the police on 101.”
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