Swans Stuck In Worcester Salisbury Pond Drain: Rescue Team Coming

WORCESTER, MA — A family of flightless swans stuck in a drain at a Worcester park could be rescued as soon as Thursday, city officials said.

The swan and three cygnets are in a drain near the eastern end of Salisbury Pond in Institute Park. The flightless birds can't escape the drain, which is at the base of a waterfall about 10 feet below the surface of the larger pond.

Residents who noticed the situation contacted city officials this week after learning the only option for the birds is for them to go through a series of drain pipes under city streets and into the Blackstone River — a more than 2-mile underground journey from the park.

"I believe this is a highly unrealistic approach and that it is cruel to leave the swans — and a duck whose mate was sitting at the top of the spillway — and I respectfully request that immediate action be taken to alleviate their suffering," resident James Sacks wrote in an email to city councilors and City Manager Eric Batista this week.

On Wednesday afternoon, Batista said a team from the Animal Rescue League of Boston could come to rescue the swans as soon as Thursday. Batista also said experts from the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton will take a look at the drain to prevent future stranding incidents.

"Thank you to all of the concerned residents who have contacted the city and brought it to our attention," Batista said in a message posted on Twitter.