Bella the swan has returned and hopes to stay at her lagoon near the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco after recovering from a foot injury last month, Department of Recreation and Park officials announced.
Bella, a 2-year-old swan, was reunited with her brother Blue Boy, his partner Blanche and the couple’s weeks-old cygnet, Martha, Sunday morning at the lagoon next to the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts.
Although Bella is in top shape and fully recovered from her foot injury in early May, Bella’s caretaker Jack Long, an exotic bird breeder in Point Reyes, said it might be a difficult transition back at the lagoon.
The Palace swan caretaker Gayle Hagerty said Bella is being monitored to see if Blue Boy will accept her and to ensure her safety.
“We’ve got people checking on her every hour. We might have to find her another home,” Hagerty said.
Long is worried Blue Boy will be too aggressive after baby swan Martha was born Memorial Day weekend and is flaunting a protective attitude.
“We thought this might happen, but we were hoping for the best,” Long said, concerned that Bella might return to his care in Point Reyes as Recreation and Park officials find her a new home.
Hagerty said officials are already looking into places for Bella to go if her swan family continues to give her an unfriendly welcome.
Sasha Lekach, Bay City News
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