Swans Flap Their Wings in Pure Joy After Being Reunited in Toronto
Who said that romance is for the birds? Not us after seeing the heartwarming way that two swans in Toronto, Canada reunited. The two had mated together for years, but an accident left the male swan injured and in desperate need of medical attention. What's worse, the injury opened up the possibility that his lady could move on to greener pastures.
The reunion on April 4 seems like proof that true love exists — for these two swans at least.
It was a moment that wasn't guaranteed to happen. Trumpeter swan Mango and his beloved Charlotte saw each other for the first time and didn't miss a beat.
In video later shared by the Toronto Star, it shows Mango just after he was released into the wild by staff at Bluffer’s Park in Scarborough. And if you've ever wondered if animals can remember each other, the answer is a resounding yes.
Related: Rescue Swan Returning to His Mate After 2 Weeks Is So Touching
"It was like a romance novel,” Ann Brokelman, the volunteer from the Toronto Wildlife Centre, told the Star. “He stopped, turned, looked at her. She stopped, turned, looked at him. And they just sort of stared at each other and then she took off running right towards him … It was just magical.”
The two could recognize each other by their honks. Which shouldn't be so surprising seeing as Mango and his lady swan Charlotte have mated for years with each other. But this year's mating season could've looked very different for the birds and threatened their very relationship.
Three days prior to their reunion, Mango had been taken away to the wildlife rescue after he was found bleeding from the beak.
“Just like humans, faces tend to be pretty vascular, so they bleed a lot,” Sarah Castillo, assistant manager of centre’s rescue team, told the news outlet. “Beaks are pretty similar.”
The organization believes the cut may have come from a fishing hook or perhaps something sharp that was sitting at the bottom of the lake. Brokelman was the one who noticed that something was wrong with the bird and alerted the wildlife center. Thankfully by the time they reached the hospital, his cut had started to scab over. Veterinarians determined that there was nothing wrong with the bird that threatened his life. They did, however, need to wash his feathers, which were covered in blood and could have caused the swan to sink .
The incident also coincided with mating season, a major problem for Mango and Charlotte alike. Swans are monogamous and the two have mated with each other for years, but without a partner at the start of the season it looked like Charlotte would have to choose another mate. In true Shakespearian fashion, Mango, once he returned, would have to fight Charlotte's new mate. And while the notion of two suitors fighting over you might seem romantic, in the swan world it's less than ideal.
Instead Charlotte searched for Mango. She made honking noises around Bluffer’s Park, just hoping that he would respond. He finally did on April 4 when Mango was released back onto the wild.
The clip shows the two engaging in what Susan Best, president of Trumpeter Swan Conservation Ontario, calls their "victory dance." Something that two swans would only do with their forever mate. The two were then directed to the water where they preened each other and kept "chatting." Thankfully it seems like these two will be together for this mating season and many more to come.
“It was one of those magical moments that I’ll never forget,” Brokelman agreed. “Just beautiful.”
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