NYC Swan Pair
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People who live and work along the Queens waterfront say the shoreline feels different this week. For years, a pair of swans locals called Swanny and Odette had been part of the scenery at Hallett's Cove Beach, so familiar that regulars would stop to watch them before heading home.

That quiet routine ended late last month when Swanny was found with catastrophic injuries on the Long Island City shoreline. The male swan was later euthanised after vets said there was no way to save him, and attention has now turned to what will happen to Odette, his remaining mate.

Thanksgiving Rescue Reveals Brutal Attack On Swanny

The case began on Thanksgiving Day, when a good Samaritan contacted Rossana Ceruzzi, founder of the Wildlife Freedom Foundation, about an unwell bird lying on a narrow stretch of shore. Ceruzzi then alerted the city's Parks Department, and rangers rushed the injured swan to a Queens Animal Care Centers facility the following morning.

By the time he reached the animal centre, Swanny was still breathing but barely responsive. Staff later said he was ice-cold, limp and showing clear signs of severe hypothermia.

An ACC representative said sand was packed into his mouth, nostrils and feathers, indicating he had been down on the ground and unable to stand for some time. The bird was non-responsive, severely cold and showed injuries consistent with possible head trauma, leaving him struggling to breathe and unable to lift his head.

'Despite immediate assessment by our veterinary team, the swan's condition was grave. It was minimally responsive, unable to lift its head, and suffering from profound weakness,' the centre said in a statement. 'Given the severity of its condition and its lack of viable treatment options, humane euthanasia was recommended to prevent further suffering.'

Fears Of Human Cruelty Behind Swan's Fatal Injuries

No suspect has been publicly identified, and there is no sign of a formal investigation by authorities. Ceruzzi, however, said witnesses have reported seeing groups of teenagers throwing rocks at the swans in the past, including around the time Swanny was fatally hurt.

She believes the injuries were too severe to have been caused by anything other than deliberate human cruelty. The leading theory is that Swanny was killed by a rock to the head by someone likened to Rothbart, the main antagonist in the ballet Swan Lake.

'The swans, believe it or not, are animals that are not necessarily beloved by everyone in New York. 'I think that this was an individual, being either a teen or a sick individual, who did that,' Ceruzzi said. She dismissed suggestions that a ferry could be to blame, saying birds hit by ferries usually wash ashore already dead and do not make it back to the beach alive.

Recent Reunion Makes Killing Even Crueller

The killing came only months after Swanny and Odette were reunited following an earlier ordeal. In March, Swanny injured his wing and foot after getting caught in discarded netting and was rescued by Ceruzzi with help from the FDNY's Marine Operations.

He then spent four months in rehabilitation at the Wildlife Freedom Foundation's Roosevelt Island campus, recovering alongside hundreds of cats before being released. A widely shared tear-jerking video from August shows Swanny sprinting towards Odette, who fluffs up her wings in apparent anger before quickly settling back beside him.

'It's painful; it's very, very painful. And now I'm very worried about Odette because she's alone,' Ceruzzi said. 'Odette has been out of there now for a few days, so she's mourning. They mourn because they mate for life.'

His death has left Odette, his long-time mate, suddenly on her own. Swans usually stay with one partner, and animal carers now worry that the shock of losing him will hit her hard after she disappeared from their usual spot.

Odette's Disappearance Deepens Concern At Hallett's Cove

Since her partner died, Odette has not been seen at Hallett's Cove. Those watching the pair say she has probably moved off to quieter water to grieve, avoiding the stretch of beach she once shared with Swanny.

'They mourn for such a long period of time, so very likely she's just strolling far from there,' Ceruzzi said. 'I don't even know if she will ever go back there,' she added. 'It's very, very sad.'

Locals who had grown used to seeing the pair on their evening 'date night' swims towards Roosevelt Island say the cove now feels oddly empty. The New York Post report on Swanny's death has prompted fresh calls for better protection of urban wildlife and tougher responses to animal cruelty.

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