About Us
A rescued swan, deliberately shot through the body with a crossbow bolt
The Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital is a dedicated hospital based in Northern England, responding to many calls each year to help or provide advice on injured swans and wild animals.
Founded in 2005, the registered charity (No. 1113771) was established to respond to the urgent need in assisting injured wild swans across the region. The charity now offers a rescue service and dedicated facilities to these most magnificent and royal of birds, from its base at Skylark Nature Reserve in the village of Barlow, North Yorkshire. Each bird is rescued with a view to be released back to their rightful place in the wild.
Operated with the help of a team of dedicated and experienced rescue volunteers, the charity is also supported by exceptional and world-recognised veterinary surgeons from the International Zoo Veterinary Group, who are called upon and give their time generously to operate and treat any injured birds which may require veterinary assistance.
Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital responds to emergency calls alerting the charity to injured swans across the Yorkshire and Humber region on a regular daily basis. The charity receives calls for its services from members of the public, local Police forces, Highways England, the RSPCA, the National Swan Sanctuary in London, local Councils, the Environment Agency, the RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts. The charity also rescues and rehabilitates other injured wild animals, including ducks, geese, foxes, badgers, deer and birds of prey, all with the aim of rehabilitating and returning each animal back to their rightful place in the wild.
The Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital is funded entirely by voluntary donations, contributions and sponsorship from kind and generous members of the public. We receive absolutely no Government, lottery or public body funding.
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The Charity was established in 2005 by our founder Dan, who still manages and oversees the operations of the organisation today. Passionate about animal welfare, Dan first began volunteering and rescuing injured swans and wild animals more than 25 years ago, at a local animal sanctuary in the Cotswolds from just ten years of age. Upon moving to Yorkshire, a few years later, he hoped to find treatment for an injured swan found locally, to quickly discover no such facility for swans existed. The Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital was formed thereafter.
Since then - and with the additional help and support of dedicated volunteers and supporters - Dan has established and developed the organisation from these small and humble beginnings, into a full time dedicated rescue facility for injured and recovering swans. Dan has consequently been presented with a range of awards in recognition of his work with injured animals and wildlife conservation, including a visit to the House of Lords in October 2016 to receive an honour from the Baroness Gale and wildlife television presenter Bill Oddie, hosted by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The Charity has featured on a range of television programmes over the years to highlight its work, including Springwatch, Countryfile, Animal Hospital, The Paul O'Grady Show, Pet Rescue, Dale's Diary, Animal 24:7, BBC Look North and ITV Calendar News. |
Left to right; wildlife television presenter Bill Oddie, IFAW director Philip Mansbridge, our founder Dan Sidley and Baroness Gale on the House of Lords terrace, October 2016.
Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital is a proud associate member of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
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Why do swans need our help?
Swans require our help and assistance on a regular daily basis, due to the ever increasing manmade threats effecting our wildlife and their habitats. We receive more than 6,000 calls each and every year to assist injured swans and wild animals, and their injuries range considerably. Dedicated and experienced volunteers and veterinary surgeons work around the clock to ensure high treatment and welfare standards of the injured animals we care for. Whilst not an exhaustive list, here are a number of examples why swans so desperately require our help;
Fishing tackle
A rescued swan carrying hook, line and float
At least half the swan numbers admitted to our care are found to be suffering from discarded fishing line, hooks and tackle. Left untreated, fishing tackle can be deadly to a swan; starvation, severed limbs, internal bleeding, deep wounds and infection are often the causes of death if left untreated without rescue.
Whilst our experienced rescuers can safely remove many hooks and lines at the waters edge, a good number of swans aren't so fortunate, and have to be removed from the wild to receive invasive surgery to remove ingested tackle by our skilled veterinary surgeons. This involves x-rays, surgery and antibiotic treatment, as well as extensive rehabilitation at our sanctuary, to ensure successful return back to the wild.
We recognise that many anglers are responsible, and indeed anglers contact us every year in good number to alert us to injured or sick swans, for which we are grateful. Furthermore, we are always happy to work with fishing bailiffs and clubs in order to ensure better angling practices, which in turn better protect our swans.
Whilst visiting the many ponds, lakes and Rivers as we do throughout the year, we take the time to collect any fishing tackle or litter accidently or carelessly left as the waters edge. We encourage others to do the same, where it is safe and practical to do so, in order to help eliminate the risk of suffering to swans and other wild animals.
Whilst our experienced rescuers can safely remove many hooks and lines at the waters edge, a good number of swans aren't so fortunate, and have to be removed from the wild to receive invasive surgery to remove ingested tackle by our skilled veterinary surgeons. This involves x-rays, surgery and antibiotic treatment, as well as extensive rehabilitation at our sanctuary, to ensure successful return back to the wild.
We recognise that many anglers are responsible, and indeed anglers contact us every year in good number to alert us to injured or sick swans, for which we are grateful. Furthermore, we are always happy to work with fishing bailiffs and clubs in order to ensure better angling practices, which in turn better protect our swans.
Whilst visiting the many ponds, lakes and Rivers as we do throughout the year, we take the time to collect any fishing tackle or litter accidently or carelessly left as the waters edge. We encourage others to do the same, where it is safe and practical to do so, in order to help eliminate the risk of suffering to swans and other wild animals.
Lead poisoning
A swan in advanced stages of lead poisoning
Whilst the issue of lead poisoning in swans no longer attracts the headlines it did in the 1980's, the issue of lead poisoning is still a problem and something we see from time to time here at the Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital.
A swan has no teeth to grind down it's food, so instead small particles of stones or grit are collected from the bottom of waters to act as teeth in the bird's gizzard, to help aid the digestion of food. It is here that swans pick up old lead shot in the sediment - unable to differentiate between the two - which once ingested are then quickly ground down in their gizzard due to the softness of the metal, and the process of lead poisoning soon begins.
The swan - like the extreme case pictured here - quickly becomes disinterested in feeding, it's neck will show a visible 'kink' (instead of being upright and straight as in healthy birds), the mouth often 'gapes' open and closed, faeces passed are usually bright green, and in extreme cases the bird becomes unable to stand, walk or preen.
We have enjoyed great success over the years - thanks to the help of our veterinary surgeons - in treating lead poisoned swans. We are able to provide treatment of both lead chelating medication and antibiotics to help aid recovery. Birds are kept warm, and are provided with fluids at regular intervals until they are able to feed themselves again.
Pollution
A pair of oiled swans upon arrival at the sanctuary
You would expect most people to understand that discharging waste oils and fuel into local watercourses would have a detrimental effect on local wildlife. Unfortunately, instances involving oiled swans are all too regular, and the clean-up of both local waters and affected animals can take many weeks to overcome.
We have seen instances over the years, as pictured, of boat engines being flushed into local canals and marinas. Some 120 gallons of red diesel were leaked it a local canal by vandals who broke into a builders yard, affecting hundreds of mallard ducks and a whole swan family. In another case, litres of waste cooking oil were poured into a street drain, which flowed directly into a lake where swans resided; in this instance, we received approximately 80 swans at the sanctuary in one single day.
The response and clean-up procedure is a pain staking and tiresome job, especially where large numbers of birds are involved. Many hours worth of rescuing each effected bird is overwhelming in itself. Each bird also requires rehydration fluids as well as a charcoal solution fed by tube to counteract any ingestion, and at least one wash in warm soapy water, with washing liquid the choice of detergent. The birds then have to be dried, and placed under heat as the animals lose the waterproofing qualities of their feathers, as well as the ability to retain body heat. Depending on the degree of pollution, birds can take many weeks to achieve a full recovery before they can be returned.
We have seen instances over the years, as pictured, of boat engines being flushed into local canals and marinas. Some 120 gallons of red diesel were leaked it a local canal by vandals who broke into a builders yard, affecting hundreds of mallard ducks and a whole swan family. In another case, litres of waste cooking oil were poured into a street drain, which flowed directly into a lake where swans resided; in this instance, we received approximately 80 swans at the sanctuary in one single day.
The response and clean-up procedure is a pain staking and tiresome job, especially where large numbers of birds are involved. Many hours worth of rescuing each effected bird is overwhelming in itself. Each bird also requires rehydration fluids as well as a charcoal solution fed by tube to counteract any ingestion, and at least one wash in warm soapy water, with washing liquid the choice of detergent. The birds then have to be dried, and placed under heat as the animals lose the waterproofing qualities of their feathers, as well as the ability to retain body heat. Depending on the degree of pollution, birds can take many weeks to achieve a full recovery before they can be returned.
Power cables
A broken wing following a power line strike
In poor lighting, dense fog and windy conditions, overhead electricity cables and pylons are rendered invisible to swans in flights, often resulting in terrible consequences.
If the collision with a power cable does not kill the bird out-right, then often the swan is found suffering from the most horrendous of injuries. These injuries include deep burns, open wounds and broken wings & legs (pictured) as well as the animal suffering from internal bleeding and shock.
Only around half the number of swans recover from colliding with power cables, making these the most serious of injuries that swans can face. Where possible, we contact power companies to pressure them to place 'bird diverters' on the overhead lines where there are regular flight paths for swans. The diverters are large reflective disks placed on the electricity lines, which allow more visibility to flying birds. These were successfully installed along the length of the Selby Canal in 2007. Since the installation of the new diverters, we are yet to rescue a single swan injured through collision with overhead cables from the Canal.
Deliberate cruelty
A rescued swan shot with an air rifle
To most, the deliberate infliction of suffering to a wild animal is unthinkable. But here at the Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital, it is something we regretfully witness to on far too regular a basis.
Over the years we have been in operation, we have cared for many swans - such as the one in this picture - which have been deliberately shot with air gun projectiles. Very often, the offender fully intends to kill the bird as they are shot in the head, face or neck.
Other swans which have been into our care, have included birds targeted with a paintball gun, injuries sustained through stoning with bricks, and in the most severe of cases a swan shot through the body with a crossbow bolt, whilst undertaking her annual nesting attempt.
Deliberate cruelty, such as these appear to be increasing in our region. This is also confirmed via national figures from the Police, where the highest rate or wildlife crime and persecution occurs in North Yorkshire. Official figures also show that West Yorkshire is the 'cruellest county' in the whole of the UK.
We work closely alongside organisations, including the Police and their wildlife liaison officers, to help ensure wildlife crime in our region is correctly reported, recorded and the offenders prosecuted.
Roads & Railways
We respond to many calls each year for injured swans which have landed on motorways, public highways and railway lines.
Roads - particularly when wet - can cause a swan to confuse this as a stretch of water. The white line in a road, to a swan, is acting as a reflection. At the very least, a massive denting to the pride of the swan is achieved when they flutter down to find a hard tarmac surface. Birds also receive broken wings and legs when they crash-land, and of course risk getting hit by moving vehicles. Swans also crash down on to railway lines.
We are regularly contacted by traffic officers within local Police forces, the Highways Agency - as pictured here on the M180 near Scunthorpe - for injured swans on the motorway networks, and whenever there are swans on railway tracks, we respond to calls from Network Rail.
Animals on any travel network - roads or rail - can obviously cause huge delays, as well as increasing the risk of accidents. We prioritise calls such as these, and aim to respond and be at the scene of the incident within an hour of receiving any request for help.
We also provide training to both Police and Highways Agency traffic officers (as pictured).
Roads - particularly when wet - can cause a swan to confuse this as a stretch of water. The white line in a road, to a swan, is acting as a reflection. At the very least, a massive denting to the pride of the swan is achieved when they flutter down to find a hard tarmac surface. Birds also receive broken wings and legs when they crash-land, and of course risk getting hit by moving vehicles. Swans also crash down on to railway lines.
We are regularly contacted by traffic officers within local Police forces, the Highways Agency - as pictured here on the M180 near Scunthorpe - for injured swans on the motorway networks, and whenever there are swans on railway tracks, we respond to calls from Network Rail.
Animals on any travel network - roads or rail - can obviously cause huge delays, as well as increasing the risk of accidents. We prioritise calls such as these, and aim to respond and be at the scene of the incident within an hour of receiving any request for help.
We also provide training to both Police and Highways Agency traffic officers (as pictured).
Uncontrolled dogs
A swan with an injured tail from a dog bite
It is a legal requirement that dog owners keep their animals under control.
Therefore it is particularly important to do so when exercising dogs close to the habitats of wild animals in order to ensure minimal disruption to our local wildlife. Sadly, all too often swans are attacked by dogs off leads, which has devastating consequences particularly for swans which have dependant young cygnets.
Swans can suffer multiple puncture wounds from a dog bite. Particularly nasty injuries are like the ones pictured, which are very difficult for our volunteers to treat. Please ensure your dog is on a lead around wildlife.
Therefore it is particularly important to do so when exercising dogs close to the habitats of wild animals in order to ensure minimal disruption to our local wildlife. Sadly, all too often swans are attacked by dogs off leads, which has devastating consequences particularly for swans which have dependant young cygnets.
Swans can suffer multiple puncture wounds from a dog bite. Particularly nasty injuries are like the ones pictured, which are very difficult for our volunteers to treat. Please ensure your dog is on a lead around wildlife.
Wildlife casualties
Not only are we contacted about injured swans, we often care for other injured wildlife, too. From hedgehogs and birds of prey, to badgers and garden birds, these creatures arrive to us with a wide range of injuries and much like our swan patients, we aim to release them all back to their natural place in the wild.
See below for just a small selection of our wildlife casualties from over the years.
See below for just a small selection of our wildlife casualties from over the years.