Tag Archives: swans

Swan Dumps Swan Boat In Tragic Love Affair Gone Wrong

Catherine StrawnFebruary 9, 2009 //

You may or may not have heard about the black swan in Münster, Germany, that fell in love with a boat that’s shaped like a swan. Back in 2006, Petra the swan formed an attachment to the swan boat, always following it around and sleeping next to it. Petra stayed by the boat’s side until last spring, when she befriended some real swans and abandoned the inanimate object of her desire. Now it seems that Petra is missing. She disappeared from the Aasee lake three weeks ago, and many fear she may have frozen to death or been eaten by a fox. However, all hope is not lost. Petra may have been spotted at a lake 100 km from Münster. No one knows why she left her longtime home, but something tells me she’s still in search of her one true love, seeing as the boat romance didn’t work out. [Spiegel] Keep reading »

True Love Does Exist!

Amelia McDonell-ParryJanuary 4, 2009 //

Or so says scientists who studied the brain scans of couples who had been together for 20 years versus couples who had recently fallen in love. They found that “one in 10 of the mature couples exhibited the same chemical reactions when shown photographs of their loved ones as people commonly do in the early stages of a relationship.” In other words, that “spark” that couples typically feel at the beginning of dating continues to exist for at least 20 years. These couples were dubbed “swans” by the scientists because the birds mate for life (as do foxes, lobsters, and penguins). [Times Online] Keep reading »

British Birds In Love

Catherine StrawnJuly 14, 2008 //

A swan couple in England that has been together for seven years was forced to spend 10 days apart after the male was attacked by a dog. The dog severely injured the poor guy’s left wing, and the swan had to be rescued by firefighters in a boat, treated by a vet, and nursed back to health at a wildlife rescue center. The “cob,” which is the term for a male swan (females are known as “pens”), was then released, and the pair of swans swam toward each other and lovingly rubbed necks as if they had been apart for an eternity. This would be really sweet if a swan hadn’t bitten me (unprovoked!) when I was about four years old. [ShropshireStar] Keep reading »