An animal rescue charity caring for the swans rescued from a Laois oil spill have issued a new update.

Kildare Wildlife Rescue (KWR) recently saved a family of swans from a lake in Kilminchy on July 10, and are currently rehabilitating the birds.

Meanwhile, another family of swans was rescued by the group from an oil spill in Kilbogget Park, Co Dublin.

Pictured: One of the Laois swans is examined by KWR following the oil spill. Photo: KWR

"Our dedicated team at Kildare Wildlife Rescue has been working tirelessly, especially after receiving an urgent call about the devastating spill at Kilbogget Park, caused by an incident during a diesel delivery by Bank of Ireland," the charity has shared.

"In response to this, Bank of Ireland has stepped forward, acknowledging the situation and generously donating €10,000 to support our rescue efforts.

"We are incredibly grateful for this contribution, which will directly assist in the rehabilitation of the swan family," the group said.

"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," they updated.

"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.

"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. We will keep you updated on these beautiful swans," the group finished.

The group have said that the swans cannot be released until the spills are cleared up, and if they are released at another location they will fly back to their original home and risk being exposed to oil again.

He said that often the birds cannot survive the added stress of being kept in captivity, being cleaned and being handled by humans for too long.

KWR urge people in Kilminchy to keep their dogs on leads, as they may chase sick birds back into the water.

Read Next: Laois Gardaí issue advice ahead of Forest Fest 2025