Central Florida cygnet/swan sanctuary?

[Andrew Marshall]

Hello Regal Swan!
We live in Orlando and often work to rescue or be a place to help raise abandoned and/or injured geese, ducks and swans.
We live on a lake with a pair of swans and have watched them over the years, so have more knowledge than most, due to our frequent visits down to the lakes edge, feeding, watching and learning the behaviors of our beloved swans.
Recently we were given an abandoned/rescued cygnet and have been raising it for the past week. We feed Mazuri starter, romaine lettuce and meal worms for treats. Overall she is very healthy and doing so well. We are keeping safe inside, while taking outside to a freshwater pool, as well as some lake swims, when the swan family is not around and we can keep her safe.
My question is she may not be able to be returned to where she was rescued (downtown Lake Eola), even at 2 months, as we would fear her ability to acclimate to an environment where there are 70+ other swans, geese and ducks, so we want to the best place to release her for the best quality of life.
Since she is a single cygnet, we fear putting her alone on a lake without a another swan, as she may not acclimate and be safe, not having a parent to further guide her in her new journey.
Is there a swan sanctuary anywhere in Central Florida? Everyone we call, they don’t take swans and we can only raise up until a certain age/size before we would need to find a place to release. She can’t go on our lake, as we already have a pair with 5 cygnets this year.

Also, as we raise this one ourselves, we are doing our best to give her the lessons she needs to survive as a wild animal, but she does seem to have separation anxiety when we put her outside in her predator proof pen, but then are out of her sight?
Is there anything we can do to further help?
Lastly, she has begun biting the air. It seems to signal she is hungry, as every time she does that, I refresh her food and she stops. Is it a signal of boredom? Or hunger?

Thanks for any assistance and help so we may do our best by her!

[Swan Expert]

Hi Andrew

Since you have reached out to us on our email, I will be contacting you shortly. There is not enough space on this forum to address all of the issues. I look forward to speaking to you. The Regal Swan

[Author]

Posts