UK's oldest recorded Whooper Swan dies after powerline collision
A Whooper Swan, thought to be one of the oldest ever recorded in the UK, has died after a suspected collision with power lines.
A member of the public found the male bird, thought to be at least 29 years old, in Pembrokeshire. It was taken to a nearby rescue centre, but was put down after X-rays revealed it had a fractured spine and ribs.
The Icelandic Whooper Swan found in Pembrokeshire is thought to be 29 years of age (RSPCA).
But the RSCPA said it took "some solace" that the swan's pain and suffering was not prolonged. The swan was ringed in Iceland in 1996 at the age of three. It was found injured in Letterston, south of Fishguard.
The oldest Icelandic Whooper Swan on record is believed to be 30 years old, just a year older than the veteran bird found in Pembrokeshire. The typical lifespan of a Whooper Swan is around nine years.
RSPCA animal rescue officer Ellie West said: "It's so amazing to think this beautiful bird, one of the oldest Icelandic Whooper Swans on record, has been potentially migrating between Iceland and west Wales for decades."