The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota provides
quality medical care and rehabilitation for all injured,
sick and orphaned wildlife, and shares its knowledge
with the people who care about them.

First, we must thank a group of volunteers who have not only made this story possible, but have helped us share the swan's story through their photos.

The startling image at right was taken by volunteer and photographer Kathy Java who lives not far away from where the swan was found in Grantsburg, Wis. You can view her full gallery of images taken during the rescue, and at the release, on her photo site.

Mary Wicklund, who volunteers with Trumpeter Swans in monitoring their health and banding, organized a group of volunteers to rescue the injured swan. The swan was suffering from an open wound caused by a gunshot (swans are protected in both Wisconsin and Minnesota).

After 10 days of medical care, the swan was transported back to its original site (its breeding grounds), banded with neckband 88F and released. Here's video of its release from our YouTube Channel.

Mary, Kathy and others hoped the swan would link back up with its mate who had been waiting in the area. After days of seeing only him, they realized the mate had already begun its migration and began hoping that they'd find each other along the way.

At the end of November, the swan was spotted in Hudson, Wis., (approx. 50 miles from its release site) and it had reunited with its mate. This story has captivated people across the nation, as evidenced by the article in the Greenwich, CT Times. Here's a local story by nature writer Val Cunningham.

"This is such a wonderful ending to an amazing story," says WRC Vet Leslie Reed, who treated the swan at WRC. "Swans are difficult to treat and the fact that we not only were able to release this swan, but that he's reunited with his mate is just wonderful news."