Gold Coast swans attacking: Wildlife experts warn against feeding

Humans are being blamed for an apparent upsurge of aggressive behaviour from Gold Coast swans. SEE THE VIDEO

Humans are being blamed for an apparent upsurge of aggressive behaviour from Gold Coast swans.

Wildlife experts say incidents involving the birds have become commonplace around family-friendly hubs across Labrador and Paradise Point.

Wildlife rescuer Amy Wregg said concerns among the community are growing as the birds become more food motivated – and the animals more acquainted with humans.

“If you don’t have food, they kind of grab you,” she said.

“The other week when I was rescuing a swan down at Charis that had a fishing hook in it, the other swans were quite aggressive just coming up to me.”

Amy Wregg from Currumbin Animal Hospital checks on the welfare of Black Swans in the Paradise Point area. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Video was captured of Ms Wregg being attacked by one of the swans, who only stopped when it thought it was being thrown food.

Ms Wregg said the aggressive behaviour is impeding rescue attempts and community safety, with parents concerned about potential injury to young children.

“The more humans try to feed them the more it becomes a regular problem,” she said.

“Swans have even been spotted crossing the main road at Paradise Point where people in cafes have been feeding them. It just causes so many more complications that people aren’t aware of. We feel good and fuzzy feeding this animal but it’s detrimental to their health, their habitat and they become aggressive, which sees them moved on or euthanised because they’re attached to people.”

A swan with osteomyelitis

Community advocate Jenna Schroeder said more needs to be done to change public behaviour.

“Feeding is putting the birds at risk,” she said.

“It’s clear the community cares. After I shared a post (to a Facebook community page) explaining that feeding the birds is doing more harm than good, people were highly engaged and genuinely wanted to do the right thing. The response was overwhelmingly supportive and people were shocked to hear how often the swans are getting injured.”

As swans become more food focused experts say they’re more exposed to getting hooked or tangled in fishing line, as well developing physical deformities.

Ms Wregg said defects such as osteomyelitis (a bone infection) which can be fatal to swans is a major issue that comes with feeding the birds.

“They’re such a robust bird designed to be in the water and they’re supposed to eat what’s in the water,” she said.

Fishing hook injury at Charis Seafood

“Because they’re being encouraged out to land with feeding, they’re spending so much time walking, which is why we’re seeing more cases of osteomyelitis.”

Ms Wregg implored the community to love them from a distance.

“We’re just killing our wildlife with kindness,” she said.

“I know it gives us the fuzzies, but there’s plenty of food out there in their natural habitat where we can enjoy watching them in their own environment rather than encouraging them out on land.”

Originally published as Gold Coast swans attacking: Wildlife experts warn against feeding