Swans still in care after mystery Portlaoise estate oil spill

The swan family rescued from a polluted lake in a Portlaoise housing estate is still not allowed to return to its Laois home.

It is three weeks since Kildare Wildlife Rescue (KWR) carried our an emergency rescue of a family of swans from a lake in Kilminchy, and worked hard to clean and save the birds' lives.

However they cannot come home until the lakes are certain to be safe.

Laois County Council gave an update to the Leinster Express / Laois Live on August 1.

They confirm that the cause of the potentially fatal oil spill is not yet traced.

"Sampling is ongoing and no further discharge of pollutant has been noted.

"Investigations are still underway to ascertain the cause of the incident/ the source of the contamination.

"The Laois County Council Environment Section, Laois County Fire and Rescue Service as well as consultants having all been engaged in the ongoing clean up.

"The Swans have not returned to the lake yet. Further sampling and monitoring will be carried out before a decision is made on their return.

"Laois County Council is continuing to make all efforts to resolve this to ensure that the lakes are a safe habitat for wildlife and a suitable amenity for the public to enjoy," the council state.

Kildare Wildlife Rescue gave an update in recent days also, including the sad news that a baby swan died that had been rescued from another oilspill on the same week as the Portlaoise incident. 

"It’s been a challenging time. We are saddened to report that one of the cygnets did not survive due to the severity of the oil spill. The rehabilitation of oiled birds is an intensive process, requiring careful monitoring and gradual recovery. Our team remains focused on nurturing the remaining swans and ensuring their road to recovery is as smooth as possible.

"As we continue to monitor wildlife at Kilbogget, we’re also caring for another swan family from a recent spill in Kilminchy, Portlaoise. Both families have undergone washing by our skilled team and will stay at our centre until they’re fit and ready for their safe return home.

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"This busy period for our organisation has seen a remarkable increase in wildlife distress calls, with a 40% rise compared to last year. Our team is working harder than ever, but we could not do it without the support of our incredible community. We rely almost entirely on donations from the public and the tireless efforts of our volunteers, who juggle their passion for wildlife with their everyday jobs."