Hamburg swans are collected for their winter quarters
Off to the boat: after several months on the Outer Alster and its tributaries, the first Hamburg Alster swans have now been returned to their winter quarters. Some of the animals were collected on Tuesday near Jungfernstieg by the so-called swan father Olaf Nieß and his team from Hamburg's swan department. They were watched by many onlookers. Some of the animals were comfortably bedded on straw in the boat, while other swans swam alongside the boats to their winter quarters at Eppendorfer Mühlenteich.
There, the animals will spend the coming months under a tent in order to be better protected against a possible outbreak of bird flu. They will also be looked after by the team. The remaining animals that roamed the widely ramified tributaries in the summer are to be collected in the following days. A total of around 80 Alster swans will probably spend the winter at the Mühlenteich.
The Alster swans are considered one of Hamburg's landmarks. They have been cherished and cared for in the Hanseatic city for centuries. In 1674, the Hamburg Swan Department was set up specifically for this purpose with the office of swan father.
The Hamburg Swan Department, established in 1674, not only cares for the swans during their winter quarters but also maintains various animal customs. Visitors often gather to witness the traditional process of collecting the swans for their winter residence.
Source: www.dpa.com
