Swan trapped in snowy Toronto parking lot following historic storm
Mounds of snow prevented the swan from being able to stand or fly away.
The Sunday storm that brought historic snowfall totals to Toronto didn’t just impact people: Some animals were caught off-guard, too.
According to Toronto Wildlife Centre, a swan got trapped in a parking lot on Sunday, surrounded by snow that was too deep to allow him to properly stand or fly away.
In desperation, he tried to escape the snow by “swimming” through it, paddling around the mounds of snow.
(Toronto Wildlife Centre/Facebook)
Luckily, a resident named Debbie spotted the swan while walking her dog and called the centre for help.
“Even though the waterbird reached safety at Toronto Wildlife Centre, he was very disgruntled – hissing and honking at the medical team as they examined him,” Toronto Wildlife Centre says in a Facebook post.
“Despite a tiny wound on his foot, he was in great shape even after his struggle in the ‘frozen tundra’. He was cleared for release the next day, after a swim and some snacks.”
The centre says it is releasing the swan back into a local waterway to join his friends.
(Toronto Wildlife Centre/Facebook)
Historic storm
The January 25 storm that hit southern Ontario brought significant snow to Toronto, bringing a record-breaking 61 cm of snow to the downtown core.
Meanwhile, Toronto Pearson International Airport recorded a single-day record of 46 cm — the most ever reported at that weather station.
*Header image: Toronto Wildlife Centre/Facebook)