Swan hero dad raises his children after mom’s death

One day, a couple of swans decided that the lagoon in the park was the perfect place to start a family.
In early spring locals of the town first noticed them in the lagoon. Shortly after that, they saw that the female swan began to lay eggs. During spring, a total of nine eggs had been laid, and some days ago the swan began to hatch.

Baby swans made their debut on the Esplanade this week and we cannot get over the pure cuteness of the newly hatched cygnets! Enjoy a collection of photos of our Espla-swan family from @NBC10Boston at https://t.co/jlEqXJb4fE

📸: Mark Garfinkel pic.twitter.com/1nTF1Uwx74

— Charles River Esplanade (@EsplanadeBoston) May 27, 2021

Bird and wildlife lovers gathered around the nest to watch as the seven swans hatch and are cared for by their loving parents.

Swans, who usually mate for life, share parental responsibilities during the first few weeks of their young’s lives, taking turns feeding, protecting, and keeping their swans warm.

Welcoming the weekend with these stunning shots of the Esplanade’s adorable swan squad! 🦢🐣🌊

Share your name suggestions for the newly hatched cygnets below! ⬇️

📸: @jackdarylphotography pic.twitter.com/0czqcMA2Fu

— Charles River Esplanade (@EsplanadeBoston) May 28, 2021

That night, the woman was on the banks of the river, watching the swan family, when she realized that something was wrong with her mother.
“She’s been relaxing covering her swans like the wonderful mom she’s been all last week. But she could not raise and hold her head.

She stumbled when she got up, could not swim straight and no matter what she did, she was backward”, “Dad did not leave her. When the swan went for a swim, you could see how he was torn between staying with a partner, cheering him up, and protecting his cubs.”

Papa Swan carrying his babies on his back 🥺❤️ @wbz @EsplanadeBoston pic.twitter.com/SqEQkKkV9s

— Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) June 4, 2021

By the time Animal Control could come to her rescue, she was already dead.

Unfortunately, the Veterinarian examined the wild mother swan and could not determine the cause of death.

“The swans will swim past them, and you can tell that daddy swan is in full force protecting the swans,” she added. “You can say that he is just a great father for them. It is very cute».

It’s been a crazy 24 hours. So happy to have played a small role in this heartwarming story about Boston’s Papa Swan. Yes, I am actually taking photos here because Papa Swan *made an appearance* during the interview! https://t.co/i6djyYa4J6

— Matthew Raifman🚶‍♂️🚲🚇🛴 (@MatthewRaifman) June 4, 2021

Thanks to a caring father, the seven swans have a great chance to grow up strong and one day finds a mate.
But for now, Papa Swan is giving the residents someone to root for: «They’ve been through a lot, but they seem so strong.»