'Happy Ending': Black Swans Rescued On LI Brought To New Home

NORTH FORK, NY — Two rare Australian black swans saved from a Southold creek in July were brought to their forever home in North Carolina this weekend.

And they aren't the only ones that were shepherded to their new chapter: John Di Leonardo, president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature, led a transport with more than 50 chickens he said had fallen off a slaughterhouse-bound truck in New York City, two Toulouse geese abandoned in Rockland County, two Muscovy ducks surrendered by a live slaughter market, and about a dozen mixed domestic ducks who were rescued either from abandonment or a now-shuttered petting zoo, he said.

All were brought to Skywatch Bird Rescue, a not-for-profit dedicated to caring for abandoned or injured birds, where, Di Leonardo said: "These magnificent animals will have acres to roam and socialize with members of their own species, be provided shelter and veterinary care, and be loved and cared for— and never exploited for their flesh or entertainment."

The black swans, because they were domesticated and were likely abandoned by whoever owned them, were unable to defend themselves against wild swans that were attacking them, neighbors said.

But many neighbors worked together to save them, grabbing their kayaks to help — as did Di Leonardo and Karen Testa of Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons.

After hours on the water, when Di Leonardo arrived, the kayakers formed a human perimeter to corral the swans toward where he was waiting to capture them with a large net.

The black swans, he said, were not indigenous to the area and were likely raised in captivity, Di Leonardo said. Australia also has a very different climate, he said. "Come winter, they'd be dead. But they'd likely have been dead before that. They don't know our natural predators and they don't have a healthy fear of humans, as they should."

It's humans who are at fault for abandoning them, he said. "Whoever let them go, left them to a death sentence," he said.

Also, introducing the swans was disruptive to the entire ecosystem; they might have killed a wild swan — or, they might have spread infection, Di Leonardo said. Fowl abandonment has a detrimental effect from health, welfare, and environmental standpoints, he said.

Di Leonardo reminded that it is a crime to abandon a domesticated animal in the wild.

Reflecting on the rescue, resident Dana Kuhl, who helped to save the swans, said: "We felt honored to be part of the rescue team. It was a privilege and honor to be able to watch the swans and help secure their safety for a healthy life. When we all come together to help anything is possible."

Of Sunday's transport, Di Leonardo said: "More than 70 animals found happy endings on this trip, but any person can save more than 200 lives just like them by simply keeping animals and their products off their plate." To donate to Di Leonardo's rescue efforts, click here.