Volunteers Save 200 Baby Swans Stranded at Sea This Year

Brad Fish was eight years old when he watched a family friend save an abandoned baby swan, and that single moment sparked a passion that would last over 50 years.

Today, the 60-year-old leads a volunteer team in Western Australia's South West that rescues hundreds of black swan cygnets each summer. On Saturday, he released 26 healthy birds into the Leschenault Estuary, 220 kilometers south of Perth, watching some take flight for the very first time.

The rescue effort has become urgent as climate change reshapes the landscape. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall are drying up wetlands earlier each year, forcing adult swans to abandon their young in search of food and water.

The orphaned cygnets often end up in the ocean, unable to fly against strong winds or swim against powerful currents. Without intervention, they face starvation since these grass-eating birds can't find food at sea.

Fish and his team, working with Geo Bay Wildlife Rescue, head out to sea daily to scoop up stranded birds. They've already rescued 200 cygnets this year, and last season's total reached 400.

Volunteer Jeaninne Ennis still remembers her first release four years ago. "Well, the first one I did, I cried," she said. "It's always beautiful seeing them and if they try to fly."

After rescue, the cygnets spend weeks in a custom-built facility where volunteers feed them morning and night until they're strong enough to survive independently. Post-release, Ennis monitors the birds every few days, checking for threats from foxes, feral cats, and unleashed dogs.

Why This Inspires

What started with one eight-year-old boy watching a single swan get nursed back to health has grown into a movement saving hundreds of birds each year. These volunteers work tirelessly despite exhaustion, driven by something deeper than duty.

Sue Kalab, who has volunteered with Birdlife Australia for over 30 years, sees the bigger picture. While black swans aren't yet endangered, she understands that every species needs champions when their habitat changes faster than they can adapt.

The team is now calling for more volunteers with boats and caring hearts. They need help sharing the load so this vital work can continue for years to come.

Fish remains determined despite the challenges: "This is not something that we're going to fix in a year or two," he said, but with more helpers, they can give hundreds more cygnets the chance to spread their wings.