Simple rules to follow for fisherman in Melbourne: Pick up your fishing line. Don’t cast at Swans. Don’t try to catch Swans with your lures.

Ever heard of swanning? Nope, us either, so Wildlife Victoria have this week put out a plea to Melbourne’s fishing fraternity, in a bid to prevent the influx of Swans requiring rescue or treatment as a result of wayward fishing equipment.

Earlier this week, volunteers responded to a struggling swan in the Hendersons Creek Wetlands.
"The swan had a lure stuck out of its mouth," Amy Amato from Wildlife Victoria said. "Someone had caught it, cut the line and done a runner."

Sometimes requiring days work for volunteers to free, trapped wildlife as a result of man-made debris is becoming all to common around Australian cities. In the last 12 months, Wildlife Victoria have responded to 527 reports of wildlife caught up in fishing line or rubbish across the state. That’s obviously not just Swans, but all wildlife, and an absolutely shocking figure!

If you find sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, please contact Wildlife Victoria's emergency response service on 1300 094 535 or visit their website 

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