Dead animals

Brutal attacks on swans in the Steyr area

Doris Adami is convinced that poaching is responsible for the decimation of the swans

(Bild: Mader Klaus Fotografie)

An animal rights activist from Steyr keeps finding bloody carcasses and finds that entire bird families are suddenly disappearing in mysterious ways. In the previous year alone, no trace of 35 young swans disappeared within just six months - poachers are probably at work. The police have been called in. 

In the greater Steyr area, swans apparently have to fear for their lives. The photos of blood-smeared carcasses available to the "Krone" are not only horrible to look at, but also lead to the conclusion that the waterfowl could not have died a natural death. Doris Adami (66) is also firmly convinced of this.

On site every other day
The retired teacher has been documenting the swan population along the River Enns for eleven years. "I'm out at least every other day to count the remaining animals," she explains. She has noticed that young swans in particular keep disappearing suddenly.

None of these chicks are likely to be alive anymore

(Bild: zVg)

"Especially in the months of September, October and November, their numbers are drastically reduced in a mysterious way," says Adami. Last year, this negative trend reached a peak: "From May to November, 35 young swans disappeared without a trace in the region."

Fate of a family of eleven birds 
The fate of a swan family in Garsten is an example of this. According to Adami, a mother swan with nine chicks was still on a meadow next to the footbridge at 8 p.m. on June 17.

Disappeared swan family from Garsten

(Bild: zVg)

At 8 a.m. on June 18, local residents found three dead chicks in the meadow and another young animal had to be euthanized by a vet. The police were alerted. "Shortly after 6 p.m., the fifth chick died disoriented on the sidewalk. I am convinced that these animals were poisoned."

I call on the authorities to finally take real action in this matter - to clarify why so many swans suddenly disappear or are only found dead.

Nationalrat Dietmar Keck, SPÖ-Tierschutzsprecher

The rest of the swan family lived next to a peninsula in a protected area until November. However, a young swan had already disappeared at the end of October. There has been no trace of the swan - which had a broken wing - or the three other young swans since November 20. "The suspicion goes in the direction of poaching, because there were no shooting permits."

Clarification demanded
Dietmar Keck, animal welfare spokesperson for the SPÖ, is outraged: "This urgently needs to be clarified, because it is unacceptable that so many swans suddenly disappear or die in a limited area."