Hunting of Female Swan Living in Pond for Over 10 Years
Four Cygnets Also Captured... Safely Rescued
A female swan, beloved as a symbol of a village in New York State, USA, was caught and eaten by teenagers. The teenagers also took four cygnets, but fortunately, the young swans were safely rescued.
According to reports from US ABC, CBS, and AP News on the 31st of last month (local time), the incident occurred on the 27th of last month in the village of Manlius in Onondaga County. Three teenagers aged 16 to 18 from Syracuse, New York, captured the female swan named "Pey" from a pond around 3 a.m., killed her, and took her home to share with relatives.
Pey had lived in Manlius for over ten years, pairing with a male swan named "Manny" and hatching cygnets every spring. AP News explained that this swan couple was donated to the village in 2010 by Michael Vein, a biologist and swan expert. In Manlius, swans are like mascots symbolizing the village.
Paul Worrell, the mayor of Manlius, said, "Swans have been part of this village for over 100 years," adding, "Our village is famous for its swans." The village logo depicts a pair of swans touching beaks to form a heart, and swan images appear on village souvenirs such as T-shirts and hats.
The Manlius police stated, "The teenagers who caught the swan were not driven by a lack of food," explaining, "They thought Pey was a large duck and wanted to hunt her." While swan hunting is legal in some US states, it is not in New York. Police said the teenagers seemed unaware of Pey's significance to the village but noted that they have not shown remorse.
The teenagers also took Pey's four cygnets but did not eat them. After news of Pey and the cygnets' disappearance spread widely, a citizen found two cygnets at a nearby store on the 30th of last month and reported it, leading to the discovery of the crime. One of the suspects was an employee at that store. The other two cygnets were found at this suspect's home.
Authorities said, "The cygnets are currently under expert care," and "After a few weeks, when they are grown enough to survive on their own, they will be returned to the pond." Manny, Pey's mate, is unharmed, but since male swans can become aggressive after losing their mate, it is unlikely he will return to the original pond. Manny will be moved to another habitat after receiving expert protection.
The police arrested the three teenagers on charges including theft. Two of them, aged 16 and 17, were handed over to their parents as minors, while the 18-year-old is awaiting legal proceedings.
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