A reader wrote to our editorial office:
Hello, could you address the subject of the swans that have no shelter in this freezing weather? So the city has not provided them with care in winter. It is terrible what conditions they live in there!
“In response to the reader’s inquiry about the conditions in which the swans spend the winter on the city pond, we would like to inform you that these birds are a wild species under protection, and their presence on the pond, including during frosts, is a natural phenomenon,” explains Justyna Foremna, deputy director of Miejski Zakład Gospodarki Mieszkaniowej. “The swans wintering on the city pond are perfectly adapted to low temperatures, and the current weather conditions constitute their natural environment. In the wild, these birds do not build nesting boxes or other shelters for the winter, while their dense plumage and layer of fat effectively protect them from the frost. As long as they have access to water, they do not require human intervention. Municipal services monitor the situation on the pond on an ongoing basis,” the deputy director adds.
She also reports that the waterfowl staying on the pond remain under the care of municipal services and the Ośrodek Rehabilitacji Dzikich Zwierząt „Klekusiowo” throughout the year. In cases where the birds’ health or lives are at risk, appropriate action is taken immediately in cooperation with specialists.
MZGM also reminds residents that feeding birds on their own, especially with bread, may harm them. If a bird is seen injured or in clearly poor condition, this should be reported to the appropriate services.