WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — A swan found dead last week in Warwick was not killed by a person as it was initially believed, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM) said Thursday.
The swan was discovered last Wednesday in Gaspee Point and the DEM thought it had been shot due to the wounds on its face and body.
DEM spokesperson Mike Healey said the state veterinarian examined the swan and found the wounds were relatively shallow but did a lot of damage, meaning they were consistent with the crush of a bite. X-rays also showed the swan had no broken bones or projectiles in its body.
The DEM now believes the swan may have been weakened by bird flu, then killed by a coyote. The swan is now being tested for bird flu.
The current strain of bird flu is very common among local waterfowl, according to Healey. He said three more swans were found dead this week and the DEM suspects they all died from the disease. Two were found Monday in Gaspee Point and the third was found in Barrington on Tuesday.
