This mother swan is believed to have died from a ‘broken heart’ after vandals smashed her unhatched babies with bricks.
The group of teen boys killed the cygnets after hurling bricks at them in Bolton, Greater Manchester. The mother was found dead earlier, not long after the dad swan disappeared.
The teens were seen throwing bricks and rocks at the nest of the swans along the Manchester Canal in Kearsley.
Swan Dies of a ‘Broken Heart’ after Her Unborn Babies Are Crushed
The witnesses said that they aimed for the island where the nest of the swans was and this smashed three of the six eggs. The wildlife activists who were monitoring the swans said that the other eggs were also lost and left only one surviving egg.
They also explained that the father swan was taken away from the nest because of stress and hasn’t come back since.
The female mother swan was harassed by ducks, a dog, and moor hens after the first attack on the unhatched eggs. The activists later found her dead in the nest.
Swans Are Known to Experience Similar Grief Periods as Humans
According to one of the activists, Sam Woodrow, she probably died because of a heart attack because her partner for life was no longer with them.
Swan Lifeline explains that swans have been known to die from a broken heart when they lose a partner as they usually mate for life.
When a swan mate disappears or is killed, the other bird experiences a similar process of grieving as humans. Then, the swan either finds a new water to live in, goes to another flock, or remains where it is.
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