Near Brest, people sincerely rescued swans by cutting ice on the pond. But the benefit of this is questionable
Recently, many in social networks were touched by the story of "rescuing" swans near Brest, but the situation raised serious questions among specialists. The BGMedia publication figured out that the situation is not so unambiguous.
In mid-January, residents of Brest and surrounding villages went out onto the ice of a pond in the village of Kaverdyaki to manually cut a hole for birds wintering on the reservoir. A video of people breaking ice for several hours in the frost and wind quickly spread online and received many words of gratitude.
However, the very next day it turned out that the pond had frozen again, and the swans still had to be caught and transported to a special shelter until spring. Doubts appeared in the comments under the video: people wrote that during severe frosts, such a reservoir freezes overnight, and breaking the ice every day is pointless. Others noted that birds should fly away to more suitable places themselves, instead of staying on small ponds.
BGmedia journalists turned to a specialist from the ecological hotline "Green Phone" for clarification. The expert explained that there are almost no non-freezing bodies of water in Belarus: in winter, small lakes and ponds become completely covered with ice, and waterfowl usually fly to large rivers or big lakes with fast currents, where there is water and food. Swans and ducks are capable of covering hundreds of kilometers in a day, so frost is not an insurmountable obstacle for them.
According to the specialist, the pond in Kaverdyaki is too small and not suitable for bird wintering. And constantly breaking the ice on it can harm not only the birds but also all living things in the reservoir. Ice in winter acts as a "thermal blanket": a stable temperature is maintained beneath it. If the ice is completely removed, a sharp temperature drop can lead to the death of fish, mollusks, and other organisms, which, by the way, are part of the food base for the same swans.
Swans with ducks on the Mukhavets River. Photo: "Beloved Brest"
The expert also noted that the Mute Swan, which most likely wintered on this reservoir, has long ceased to be a rare species, while the Whooper Swan is mainly found in Belarus during migrations. Therefore, human intervention in this situation was not necessary.
Assistance to birds is truly needed only in specific cases — if they are visibly sick, injured, immobile, covered in ice, or behaving unnaturally. In such situations, one should report to the services of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the police, or local authorities. Unauthorized capture of birds is a violation of the law and is punishable by a fine.
As for feeding, it is permissible only during severe frosts and in places where birds gather en masse. Feeding them bread, fatty or salty food is not allowed — grain, bird feed, and raw or boiled vegetables are best.
According to the specialist, this story will most likely not have serious consequences for the swans themselves — they will return in spring or find another place. But for people, this situation is an occasion to reflect: good intentions without understanding natural processes can sometimes do more harm than good.
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