I like to think I could keep my head when faced with an emergency. However, I am not sure I would have the peace of mind Ariel Cordova-Rojas had when she encountered a sick swan at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens. Out for a bike ride the day before her 30th birthday, Ariel wanted to enjoy the natural wildlife and display of autumnal colors. However, she did not expect her day would become a desperate plight to save a sick swan’s life. (1)
Sick Swan In Queens
Ariel spotted the sick swan sitting near the edge of the water. Having spent five years at the Wild Bird Fund rehabilitation center in Manhattan, she correctly recognized the bird was in trouble. Although her training focused on red-tailed hawks and geese, she still knows an ailing bird when she sees one. (1)
The female mute swan wasn’t moving nor did she even flinch when Ariel approached. If you’ve ever been up close to a swan you know they are surprisingly large, not to mention very aggressive and intimidating. So even nearing the swan took guts. It wasn’t until Ariel was practically upon her that the swan made a feeble attempt to get away. It literally had to drag its body with its wings trying to get to the water to escape. (1)
Sick Swan Needs Help
While instinct told her the swan needed help, Ariel wasn’t certain how to act. She slowly approached the swan, took off her jacket, and covered the swan gently. Although the bird weakly tried to move its wings, Ariel quickly wrapped the swan and picked her up. (1)
“Well, I’m carrying a swan,” she thought. “I have no idea what to do. I guess I’m just going to walk.” She left her bike and walked a mile carrying the 17-pound bird. (1)
Sick Swan Rescue Team
When Ariel encountered a fellow park visitor, he was a little confused by what he saw. “Is this actually her pet and she’s walking it through here?” thought Josh Spector. While at first, he figured it was “another crazy New York thing” he wanted to help. (1)
Unfortunately, having also biked to the refuge, Josh couldn’t do much. However, new help arrived. A couple offered to drive Arial to the subway, but between them, Ariel, her bike, and the swan they couldn’t all fit. They called a friend who came to help. The group drove to Howard Beach subway station, where the husband helped get Ariel, the swan, and her bike settled on the A train. (1)
Sick Swan Subway Ride
In that uniquely New Yorker way of accepting all things crazy, no one seemed to care one of their fellow passengers was a swan. “Meanwhile, there’s a few people on the train and nobody seems to be fazed,” says Ariel. She adds, one guy was “sitting right in front of me and he’s just on his phone. I don’t even know if he noticed there was a swan in front of him.” (1)
Wild Bird Fund
Ariel called the Wild Bird Fund and asked for help. An animal care manager from the group, Tristan Higginbotham, met Ariel at the Nostrand Avenue station in Brooklyn not surprised Ariel had gone to such great lengths. “That’s just like the perfect summary of who she is,” she says. (1)
Once at the Wild Bird Fund, the staff found the swan underweight suffering from lead poisoning. According to Tristan, many reports had come in about the sickly swan. Unfortunately, the team could not find her. (1)
“Mute” Swans Invasive Species
The mute swan is not natural to NYC. They arrived from Western Europe back in the 19th century as pets of all things. They also provided “decoration” for parks. Considered an invasive species, in 2014 the swans were targeted for elimination by state conservation officials. Not surprisingly, and despite the fact they do pose a threat to native ducks and geese, the plan faced strong opposition. Thankfully it was blocked by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. (1)
At the end of the day, Ariel couldn’t think of anything she would have rather done. “That was kind of the perfect culmination of my 20s,” says Ariel. “It was the perfect birthday present to be in nature and be able to save a life.” (1)
