Black Swan Bullied by Other Swans at Sanctuary. Then Rescuers Find 6 Mysterious Eggs
Everybody wants to feel accepted. You’d think that with their graceful good looks, swans might be oblivious — but really, they’re no exception.
At least, that’s what the volunteers at Carolina Waterfowl Rescue (CWR) were probably thinking when Ginny first arrived.
This stately black swan had been rescued from a difficult hoarding situation, and she came to the Indian Trail, North Carolina, sanctuary without a friend in the world.
CWR director Jennifer Gordon told media outlets that Ginny certainly seemed outgoing enough at first. “She started coming up to the house, and would talk to her human friends,” Gordon recalled.
But as for the other swans? Things didn’t go so swimmingly on that front.
According to reports and social media posts, the rescue’s other black swans were carefully introduced to Ginny. But for some reason, they immediately began trying to intimidate and bully her.
Gordon explained that everyone felt terrible for this sadly shunned lone wolf of a waterfowl. They even gave the bird a special sanctuary in the barn’s aviary, she noted, so that Ginny “wouldn’t have to worry about being chased.”
Then one day, volunteers came across six mysterious eggs Ginny had recently produced. Puzzled, they closely examined every one — and lo and behold, each had been fully fertilized.
That meant every single egg contained a baby. It also meant nobody could figure out how a father fit into the picture.
While CWR normally discourages breeding by collecting eggs before they hatch, they bent the rules for poor, forsaken Ginny. Volunteers suspected it might give this lonely mother-to-be a sense of purpose.
Interestingly, it also gave her quite an audience. CWR continued posting Ginny-related photos and live-cam videos during the countdown to hatching day — and these regular updates garnered millions of collective views across social media.
Then, before everyone knew it, the big date arrived. And almost on cue, six tiny little beaks began poking their way into the world.
The joyous event was actually broadcast live on Facebook, as intrigued viewers from all over the world kept tabs. One after another, adorably healthy cygnets emerged from their protective enclosures.
As they were making their celebrated debut, CWR staffers were beginning to solve the mystery of their pedigree. According to Gordon, it seems the babies may belong to another black swan named Diablo.
Diablo evidently has plenty of affection to go around, because his actual chosen mate was off tending her own eggs while Ginny welcomed these young ones. That means Ginny, most likely, will wind up being a single mother.
But nonetheless, the fact remains that she’ll also be surrounded by six adoring companions from here on out. Looks like, one way or another, this solitary swan was always meant to be loved and cherished.
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