Apollo the Swan Rescued After Going Missing From His Home Pond
- May 2026
- Kirklees Valley Wildlife Rescue
Apollo is a familiar face on his home pond, where he lives alongside his mate. So when local residents noticed he had suddenly disappeared, concern quickly began to grow. While his partner remained waiting on their usual stretch of water, Apollo was nowhere to be seen.
After some searching, he was eventually spotted around half a mile away on a different stretch of water. It appeared he had managed to fly there, but when he later attempted to return home, it became clear something was very wrong.
Several kind members of the public made attempts to safely catch and help him, but Apollo proved understandably wary and elusive. With concerns growing for his welfare, our team were contacted for assistance.
Armed with a boat, rescue equipment, and a lot of patience, we carefully made our way out onto the water. After some delicate manoeuvring, we were finally able to safely bring Apollo into our care.
Once examined, the cause of his struggles quickly became apparent. Apollo had sustained a significant injury to the joint in his right foot. The area was badly swollen and infected, something that would have made swimming, walking, and taking off increasingly painful and difficult.
The good news is that Apollo has continued to make positive progress in our care. While his foot still requires time to fully heal, the infection has now cleared and he has been moved out into one of our rehabilitation pools, where he is continuing his recovery under the watchful eye of our team.
We’re hopeful it won’t be too much longer before this handsome cob can return home to his partner. Incredibly, while Apollo has been away receiving treatment, his mate has continued incubating their eggs alone – and we’re delighted to say they have now all successfully hatched
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who reported sightings and helped look out for him. Community support plays such an important role in helping wildlife get the second chance they deserve.
We’ll continue to keep everyone updated on Apollo’s progress and, hopefully soon, his long-awaited reunion with his growing family.
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