The swans in Carlow park

Irish Guitarist

I was at the park today and saw a poor swan had a fishing line caught in his bill. This line was getting caught between his foot and his bill and in the process was almost strangling him when he moved. This swan was drooling and was in distress. I tried desperately to phone the Carlow branch of the ISPCA but couldn't get through. I then went back to the park and asked the warden if anyone looked after the swans. This warden was Polish and barely spoke English. He didn't seem to understand a word I was saying.

A similar incident happened before and I also asked the advice of a different park warden. This warden was also Polish. He was sitting around drinking coffee and talking to his friend. When I told him about the swan he basically laughed at me and went back to talking to his friend. I know this may not be the wardens job, but I thought they might at least be able to phone someone. I find this and todays incident sickening. This swan may die needlessly. If someone would listen to me this swan could have been saved.

The swans add much needed beauty to Carlow. They deserve more respect and deserve to have someone who looks out for their welfare.

CptBeefheart

How is him beying polish even relevant?

Irish Guitarist

CptBeefheart wrote: »

How is him beying polish even relevant?

It's relevant because he didn't speak English and was impossible to get any help from.

testicle

Why didn't you try to free it?

CptBeefheart

Obviously his english wasnt that bad if he managed to tell you he was polish. Or is that just an assumption because he had an eastern european accent?

SpitfireIV

testicle wrote: »

Why didn't you try to free it?

I believe swans can be a little temperamental, I certainly wouldnt like to be approaching one, particularly one thats in distress.

The OP did what he thought was best, obviously an issue that concerns the park and the park warden should be equiped (ie with contacts or some knowledge) to deal with such a situation. Obviously the man himself wouldnt have to leap to the rescue but surely he would know contacts within the council? OPW? or such that would help. He is afterall keeping check of the park environment and I'd imagine (maybe I'm wrong) that the swans, their safety and welfare are part of the 'park' too?

OP, how about the swan? Did anyone come help? Did you get in contact with anyone else?

stick-dan

Guys to be fair the OP referred to the fact that the warden was polish because it highlighted the fact that there wasn't a common communication medium there. His nationality is irrelevant and the OP isn't having a go at the polish or indeed any other nationality so jump of the "he's being racist " train and look at it logically. Let's say paddy our typical irish man is the warden in question, the OT approaches him and paddy basically ignores the OT and proceeds to talk away with the friend there with him. This is basic ignorance and he is neglecting his duties and responsibilities as the park warden and as a result a beautiful creature could potentially die. The warden didn't give a crap and continued to ignore the situation at hand so i'm sorry but the warden is completely at fault here.

Swans do have an extremely highly tempermental nature so it was good practice that the OT didn't approach it because on their good days swans will resort to violence as they are fiercely protective of their environs.So if the OT had approached the animal in question they would only have caused stress to an already horrible situation.

Yeah i'd like to know too OT. Did you manage to get in contact with anyone?

Irish Guitarist

stick-dan wrote: »

Yeah i'd like to know too OT. Did you manage to get in contact with anyone?

I left a message with the ISPCA yesterday. They phoned me back this morning and said they had a few calls. Apparently someone was sent out to help the swan. The man that phoned couldn't tell me any more than that. I haven't been to the park yet today so I haven't seen the swan. At least a few people cared enough to phone. I hope someone got to the swan in time. What's sad is it's impossible to get through to the Carlow branch of the ISPCA.

I actually did try to help the swan. I returned with a pliers and planned on cutting the fishing line. However I couldn't get close enough to do this. That may have been for the best as I realised later I could have done more harm than good if I cut it in the wrong place. The line seemed to be in his cheek and somehow I don't think I could have gotten my hand in there. I think an animal expert was really needed in this situation.

I'm a little surprised that people focused on my Polish comment. My point was that if he had spoken proper English and had understood me, he could have phoned someone in the council and a swans life may have been saved. If it had been an Irish park warden who was unhelpful I also would have been annoyed. I was just describing the situation. The fact he didn't speak proper English was relevant in this case. He seemed to think I was complaining about some teenagers fishing nearby. All he seemed to understand was the words "fishing line". I told him "a swan is caught in a fishing line" and his reply was something like "that's ok people are allowed to fish here". I guess if people want to take my comment out of context and accuse me of being prejudiced rather than focus on the issue of a poor swan drooling at the mouth and almost being strangled there's not much I can do about it.

Irish Guitarist

Oh, I just noticed it was only one person that thought my Polish park warden remark was racist. I thought that was two different people. Thanks to everyone who commented on the actual important part of my thread.

SpitfireIV

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

I actually did try to help the swan. I returned with a pliers and planned on cutting the fishing line. However I couldn't get close enough to do this. That may have been for the best as I realised later I could have done more harm than good if I cut it in the wrong place. The line seemed to be in his cheek and somehow I don't think I could have gotten my hand in there. I think an animal expert was really needed in this situation.

Fair play to you OP, you're a braver man than I am :P, but then I guess faced with such a situation we'd try help in anyway possible at the risk of our own safety. I'll be heading through the park shortly so I must have a look and see that the swans are ok.

Well done again

stick-dan

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

I actually did try to help the swan. I returned with a pliers and planned on cutting the fishing line. However I couldn't get close enough to do this. That may have been for the best as I realised later I could have done more harm than good if I cut it in the wrong place. The line seemed to be in his cheek and somehow I don't think I could have gotten my hand in there. I think an animal expert was really needed in this situation.

fair play to you to i must say. At least it shows there are some people who care.

Irish Guitarist

CroppyBoy1798 wrote: »

Fair play to you OP, you're a braver man than I am :P, but then I guess faced with such a situation we'd try help in anyway possible at the risk of our own safety. I'll be heading through the park shortly so I must have a look and see that the swans are ok.

Well done again

Thanks. I've been to the park myself and the swans seemed to be ok. Although it's hard to tell one swan from another, the one in the fishing line had brown markings on his head. I saw one with similar markings today which appeared to be the same swan. If it was the same swan then someone must have freed him because there was no trace of fishing line.

Irish Guitarist

stick-dan wrote: »

fair play to you to i must say. At least it shows there are some people who care.

Thanks.

MsFifers

OP - fair play to you for taking action - many would just have walked by and done nothing.

The Carlow branch of SPCA is more or less defunct. I think there are a few people around who might foster animals in a personal capacity, but there is no actual organisation/premises etc.

I was told there would be a public meeting to see about getting one going again, but nothing came about.

Given all the animal cruelty cases featured in the Nationalist, I would think its really important to get one going here, but I suppose it will take a group of people to take it on as a project.

Irish Guitarist

MsFifers wrote: »

The Carlow branch of SPCA is more or less defunct. I think there are a few people around who might foster animals in a personal capacity, but there is no actual organisation/premises etc.

It's sad that there's no one in Carlow to look out for the welfare of animals. Then again I probably shouldn't expect too much from a town that doesn't even have a hospital.

John Griffin

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

It's sad that there's no one in Carlow to look out for the welfare of animals. Then again I probably shouldn't expect too much from a town that doesn't even have a hospital.

This is something that a Wildlife Ranger would normally respond to. I am a Wildlife Ranger working for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, i have captured and rescued many Swans amongst other things. I'm working in Co. Wicklow, i have no responsibility for Co. Carlow. There are 6 Rangers in County Wicklow but there is none in the County of Carlow. Carlow is the only county in ireland that doesn't have a Wildlife Ranger. The post has been vacant for about 4 years now.
If you would like this to change i suggest you send an email to your local TD's, the minister of the environment is John Gormley of the Green Party and i believe Mary White is one of the local TD's and is also Green Party.:)

You would also stand a better chance of getting help for the swan by posting in Nature and Birdwatching forum.

Irish Guitarist

John Griffin wrote: »

You would also stand a better chance of getting help for the swan by posting in Nature and Birdwatching forum.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm new here ( I actually signed up because I was so sickened at how this swan was treated and wanted to express it somewhere ) and I wasn't even aware there was a Nature and Birdwatching section here. I took your advice and posted my feelings about the swans in that section. Thanks again.

stick-dan

John Griffin wrote: »

This is something that a Wildlife Ranger would normally respond to. I am a Wildlife Ranger working for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, i have captured and rescued many Swans amongst other things. I'm working in Co. Wicklow, i have no responsibility for Co. Carlow. There are 6 Rangers in County Wicklow but there is none in the County of Carlow. Carlow is the only county in ireland that doesn't have a Wildlife Ranger. The post has been vacant for about 4 years now.
If you would like this to change i suggest you send an email to your local TD's, the minister of the environment is John Gormley of the Green Party and i believe Mary White is one of the local TD's and is also Green Party.:)

You would also stand a better chance of getting help for the swan by posting in Nature and Birdwatching forum.

Do you know if there is a reason why we have no ranger, is it as simple as noone wanted the job or is it even available or is it because of cutback reasons by the council?

John Griffin

Basically management have decided that Carlow does not deserve a Ranger. Other areas seem to be more important.

They asked the dept of finance for a batch of new Rangers this year and they said they were going to fill the Carlow post, they asked if any existing Rangers wanted to transfer and i applied and was top of the list. But they only got half of what they requested from the Dept of finance.

They decided not to fill the Carlow post and put those Rangers in other areas. I am waiting for them to decide to fill the post so that I can transfer into that post.
It's nothing to do with the county council either, it's the Dept of Environment alright, but it's National Parks and Wildlife.

There is plenty of work for a Ranger in Carlow, the river Barrow and the river Slaney are Special Areas of Conservation and so are the Blackstairs Mountains. Rangers enforce the Wildlife Act which protects Ireland's Wildlife and habitats.
We carry out wildlife surveys, we monitor habitats and species and protect them from damage and exploitation. We also enforce CITES
, the habitats directive and the birds directive. And we rescue injured wild animals and investigate the deaths of protected animals.