{"id":2188633,"date":"2025-10-03T06:00:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T05:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2188633"},"modified":"2025-09-27T14:49:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T13:49:25","slug":"police-investigation-launched-after-swan-believed-to-have-been-strangled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/police-investigation-launched-after-swan-believed-to-have-been-strangled\/","title":{"rendered":"Police investigation launched after swan believed to have been strangled"},"content":{"rendered":"

Police are investigating the death of a swan which is believed to have been strangled.<\/p>\n

A member of the public discovered the swan\u2019s body at the Balancing Ponds in Saintbridge, Gloucester, on September 13.<\/p>\n

The bird\u2019s body has since been passed to Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), for disposal.<\/p>\n

Gloucestershire Police appealed for anyone with information to come forward.<\/p>\n

Pc Jonathan Parker, a rural, wildlife and heritage crime officer at the force, said: \u201cFollowing an initial examination of the swan, we now think that it has been strangled, which is utterly appalling.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll wild birds are protected by law and we are also looking into whether the swan has been killed with unnecessary cruelty, which would also be an offence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would urge anyone with any information about the death of this magnificent bird to come forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyone with information is asked to contact the force online, quoting incident number 250 of September 16.<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> by Claire Hayhurst was first published by The Independent on 17 September 2025. lead Image: Officers are investigating (Joe Giddens\/PA) (PA Archive).
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