Swan Family Drama in Joensuu as Rescuers Free Cygnet from Fishing Line
A dramatic rescue operation unfolded on Saturday morning in the Utra Islands recreation area in Joensuu, where a cygnet was freed from a fishing line after becoming trapped by its beak. The incident, which drew attention from passersby, required intervention from the North Karelia Rescue Department.
The cygnet had likely become entangled while feeding in shallow water, leaving it unable to move. According to MTV Uutiset, the young bird was accompanied by its parents and three siblings at the time of the rescue. Rescue team leader Tuomas Kinnunen, who arrived at the scene with a colleague, described the tense situation as the adult swans reacted aggressively to their presence.
"The swan parents did not seem to understand what was happening," Kinnunen told MTV Uutiset. "When we waded toward the cygnet, they began threatening us with their wings spread wide, honking loudly." To deter the protective parents, Kinnunen used flippers to clap at them, a tactic that allowed the rescuers to safely free the cygnet within minutes.
Once the fishing line was removed, the mood shifted dramatically. Iltalehti reports that the swan parents "let out beautiful notes into the air, thanking for the freeing of their cygnet." The poetic description was echoed by Kinnunen, who noted the same behavior in his account.
Such rescues are not uncommon for the North Karelia Rescue Department. Kinnunen explained that discarded fishing lines often pose risks to wildlife, as broken lines can remain hidden underwater. "When the line breaks, even fishermen have a hard time finding them. You can’t really get them out of the water," he said.
