RSPCA: Rescue mission after swans soaked by oil in river - with charity suspecting dumped fuel behind spill

A bevy of oil-drenched swans have been washed and cared for, and safely returned to their river home after a person is believed to have dumped fuel in a waterway.

A team of RSPCA frontline officers, Swan Support staff and representatives from the Maritime Volunteer Service rescued eight swans from a river next to Quayside Road, in Southampton, on 12 January, and took them to the RSPCA’s West Hatch wildlife centre. They have now been returned to the river, after being thoroughly cleaned and making a full recovery, the animal charity said.

David Couper, senior clinician at West Hatch, said: “Oil in our waterways is a huge hazard for birds, and it is really important that we act quickly in situations like this. If oil is not removed from waterbirds quickly, it reduces the natural waterproofing in their plumage, leaving them at risk of dying from hypothermia."

The swans will also preen to try and clean themselves, he said. "But while they are doing this they are not feeding and they will become weak - like these eight swans - so we have to act quickly before this happens."

The RSPCA believe the source of the oil pollution was someone dumping fuel into the waterway. “It is so incredibly sad that these birds had to go through this because of someone’s thoughtless act of dumping this fuel," Dr Couper added.

The charity alerted the Environment Agency to the incident. NationalWorld has also approached the agency for comment.

The RSPCA recommends anyone who sees pollution on water or land to call the Environment Agency's 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Concerns about wild animals that have come into contact with oil or other contaminants should be reported to the RSPCA’s emergency line - on 0300 1234 999.