Wildlife Expert Frees Baby Swan From Hook as Parents Circle

Graham Porter has faced down many protective swan parents in his work at the Waterfowl Sanctuary in Godmanchester, England. But on October 2, he took on one of his most challenging rescues yet when a baby swan got hooked and wrapped in fishing line.

The angler who accidentally hooked the cygnet tried to help but couldn't get past the attacking father swan. He called Porter's charity, and the team arrived within 30 minutes.

Porter paddled his kayak out to the swan family and immediately saw the scale of the challenge. Adult swans have wingspans up to 10 feet, and this protective dad wasn't afraid to use his.

"He's protecting his baby that is hooked and wrapped with fishing line," Porter explained in a video that later went viral on TikTok. Despite the father swan flying toward his kayak and flapping aggressively, Porter stayed focused on the rescue.

He carefully scooped the baby swan into his lap and began assessing the damage. The fishing line connected all the way back to the angler's rod, and a hook was lodged in the cygnet's bill.

Porter paddled away from the parents to get into better sunlight, all while the father circled and hissed nearby. For three minutes, he gently untangled the line and clamped the hook while keeping the baby calm.

Sunny's Take

The moment Porter freed the cygnet and placed it back in the water tells the whole story. The baby immediately swam to its parents and siblings, quacking happily, while the father who had been so aggressive moments before welcomed it back.

Over 12.7 million people watched the rescue unfold, with thousands commenting on Porter's calm expertise. "If only we could tell animals when we are trying to help," one viewer wrote.

The Waterfowl Sanctuary rescues dozens of cygnets each year from across England. Some need just quick releases like this one, while others require weeks of rehabilitation for injuries or rejection by their parents.

In September alone, the sanctuary released six rehabilitated cygnets at Fen Drayton Lakes near Cambridge. "It's a real pleasure to experience this and provides a much-needed sense of closure to the hard work," the charity shared.

One cygnet is swimming safely with its family today because an angler cared enough to call for help.