THIS SWAN IS on the mend after it was found strolling down Dublin’s quay with a nasty gash on its leg.
Gardaí swooped in to help the injured bird yesterday near Heuston station, and it is now recovering in a DSPCA shelter.
It is believed the swan flew in too low on its approach to the Liffey, and clipped its leg off Luas cables.
Gillian Bird, spokesperson for the DSPCA, said the animal will need a couple of stitches and a few relaxing days off.
She added that the organisation has several calls from the public about swans in the past few days, in particular with cygnets being moved from their nest to a river.
Bird said the best thing to do in this situation is to leave them be, unless they are clearly injured.
The same goes for any other baby animals, Bird added, saying the DSPCA has been inundated with messages from members of the public who have stumbled across a tiny critter – in particular fox cubs.
Many are uncomfortable with foxes taking up residence in their garden if small children are nearby.
Bird said people can try to encourage the animals to leave the area by making noise when they are seen, not leaving out food that is going to attract them, or even, eh, leave a sprinkling of male urine in the area, something foxes aren’t too fond of.
Another common animal to come across is what people believe are kits (or baby rabbits) hiding in the grass, but are actually leverets (baby hares). Either way, leave them be, Bird said.
“Adult ducks make their nests away from water and walk their ducklings to the rivers, ponds and canals,” she said, “Please let them carry on and do not try to ‘rescue’ the ducklings as the parents will fly away and you will be left with the abandoned ducklings.”
If the bird is fully or partially feathered, chances are it doesn’t need your help. As young birds develop they soon outgrow the limited space of a nest. The young birds, referred to as “fledglings” at this stage, typically leave the nest and move about on the ground and on low branches for a few days before they can fly.
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