ORLANDO, Fla. — More swans at Lake Eola in Orlando have died. Volunteers who care for the swans now say 17 have died in a nearly two-week span.
“If it’s the flu, again, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves because I don’t know yet,” Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said at a news conference last week.
A recent video shows one of Lake Eola’s sick swans. Volunteers said it was left suffering by the lake over the weekend. Then they said it was placed in a pen with no food or water.
Sheehan is waiting for official confirmation as to what is killing the swans.
State preliminary reports show it is the avian flu. While experts believe it will most likely be confirmed, the city is waiting for official confirmation from the CDC.
As we await test results, 17 swans have died.
Volunteers are calling for change as this continues to spread from migrating wild birds.
“So unfortunately, that’s how diseases and bacteria spread, or viruses spread.” A volunteer said. “So, if they would take the initiative to move these feeders throughout different areas and actually fill them up, that would really help the mitigate the congregation of the swans on one place.”
The city said it is taking precautions. We’re told crews are cleaning up defecation and sanitizing hubs where swans like to congregate.
Back and forth between the city and volunteers is ongoing as both sides hope to bridge the current divide.
“We’re trying to figure it out as we go along,” Sheehan said. “I’m heartbroken.”
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