Image 1 of 2

A cygnet was reunited with its five siblings yesterday thanks to the efforts of many people. The tale starts two to three weeks ago when Dr. John Sellechio noticed the bird was unable to join the rest of the brood as they congregated in front of his home on Sand Pond near Vets High. The cygnet had become entrapped in discarded fishing line that was entangled in pondweeds. As his family members diverted the attention of the parents with bread, Sellechio waded into the pond, but as he reached the cygnet, the scissors he was carrying dropped into the water and one of the adult swans came after him. He was able to break the fishing line, but not totally clear it. The following morning Jorie Shepherd, his mother-in-law researched animal rescue groups. With the help of Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island the cygnet was captured and its wounds treated. Yesterday it was time for a family reunion; however, Jorie and her husband Jim had trouble locating the swans. Finally, after a couple of drives around the pond, the cygnet was released. The parents gave it a wary eye. Would they attack it? Any thought of that was dismissed when one parent threatened to come after its rescuers, leading them to wonder who was chasing whom.