As the founder of B.I.R.D.S., a volunteer animal rescue service based in Melbourne, Australia, Sonja Olsen is uniquely equipped to help feathered friends in need. When the rescuer recently learned about two large birds cowering on a highway median, she
knew she had to act.
Upon arrival, Olsen found the black swans in the center of a busy five-lane road. Olsen noticed that one swan appeared injured. The other was likely her mate, refusing to leave her behind. The rescuer assumed the birds had been traveling from a lake on one side of the highway when one of them mistakenly collided with a car and ended up trapped in the center of the road.
Since the birds were a bonded pair, Olsen knew she’d have to keep them together. She blanketed the injured female bird easily and moved her into her car with the help of a good-hearted passerby. Now, they just had to catch her mate.
Aided by the passerby and another kind driver, Olsen managed to stop oncoming traffic and corner the male swan behind a car. She swiftly grabbed him and brought him to his partner in the back of her station wagon.
Olsen contacted a friend at Wild Days Wildlife Shelter, who agreed to assess the birds’ injuries. The animal expert found that the female bird suffered mainly from a concussion and dehydration, and after three days in care, she was ready to return home to the wild.
The rescuers released the birds back into a wetland lake and watched them paddle off into the distance.
According to Olsen, animal rescues are rarely easy, and often end in tragedy. Seeing such a positive result, the rescuer felt elated.
“[During] so many rescues … the animals can’t be saved,” Olsen told The Dodo. “Having one with a happy ending makes the heartache all worthwhile.”
