Distressed cygnet rescued in Derbyshire after being caught on fish hook
“It could have been a very different story.
A cygnet is recovering back in the wild at Butterley Reservoir near Ripley after the RSPCA came to its rescue when the bird was caught on a fishing hook.
The distressed swan was spotted by a concerned passer-by, who noticed its leg had been bound up in fishing line with blood staining its feathers.
Animal rescue officer Lucy Kingsley attended the scene and said: “The line was wrapped tightly around the leg and the hook was embedded in an open wound, making it impossible to remove safely at the scene.
“I took the cygnet directly to a local vets, where the hook was carefully removed and the wound was stitched.”
Following treatment, the cygnet was returned to the reservoir and released back on to its home water.
Lucy hopes the incident will serve as a reminder to anglers to handle their equipment with care.
She said: “Fishing litter can be extremely dangerous to wildlife. The majority of anglers are very responsible, but sadly it only takes one piece of discarded kit to cause birds, like this cygnet, a great deal of suffering, and can even be fatal.
“Thanks to the quick-thinking of the member of the public who spotted this poor bird, he was able to be rescued and returned back to the wild, but it could have been a very different story.”
Members of the public can sign up to become an RSPCA Wildlife Friend, a scheme which gives volunteers the chance to help wildlife thrive in their communities and allow the charity’s frontline staff to prioritise cases of cruelty and neglect.
For more information about what to do if you find a wild animal or bird in trouble, visit rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/injured.