A deaf woman has revealed how she rescued a swan from the side of a road using an Ikea bag and reunited him with his lifelong partner.
Gabo Wildlife Founder, Carly Åhlén, was called to help a male mute swan after he was spotted on a busy street in Dartford, Kent.
As he was disorientated and at risk of being hit by a car, she took an Ikea bag and gently moved him to safety.
After doing some research, Carly found the lake where the swan – who she named Snowflake – was most likely to have come from and carried him back there.
She was amazed when she released him and saw a group of swans swimming towards him.
Once he was back in the water, he swam over to one and formed a heart with her – a display of courtship indicating she was his mate.
“It was an incredible once in a lifetime event seeing a rescued swan is reunited with his mate,” she told Jam Press.
“Suddenly he started to seemingly dance with one of the female swans and head off into the sunset for happiness with her.”
In a touching video, Carly shows the moment she found the swan and later reunited him with his herd.
Carly, who rescues and cares for injured wildlife in Canterbury, Kent, says she just wanted to get him out of a dangerous situation but was amazed to be able to take him home.
She said: “He had landed on the road after mistaking it for a lake due to rain and was exhibiting signs of exhaustion as he was unresponsive when I rescued him.
“I took him to receive expert medical care and he improved within days and showed no trauma or injuries.
“He was feeding well and I recced a lake close to where I found him that I thought was most likely to be his home.”
Carly was more certain about her research when she approached the lake and Snowflake started to get excited.
Then she spotted the five swans coming towards him and she carefully released him.
As he swam off, Carly spotted him connect with the female swan and as swans usually mate for life, she knew she had reunited him with the one he loves.
Carly is deaf but she says she feels it helps her connect with the animals she cares for.
She said: “While I might be deaf, I still do have a voice and use that to be their voice.
“When I rescue a wild animal in distress, my sole aim is to stop their suffering and save their lives; they can not help themselves!
“My wildlife casualties are mostly injured in accidents involving some form of human activity. It takes my breath away when I rehabilitate them back into their habitat, it’s just exhilarating to watch them.”
