Will you be my loved swan?

 

 

A romantic trail featuring swan couples will be running at WWT Slimbridge over half term.

Swans famously mate for life and show an enduring affection for one another so they were deemed perfect for the Valentine’s Day trail.

heart
Bewick's swans by Duncan McNab

New Bewick’s swan couple Zara and Tindall (named after Zara Phillips MBE and her husband Mike Tindall) are one of a few couples who have made it onto the trail.

The Bewick’s swans at WWT Slimbridge have been studied for 50 years and to celebrate visitors can also have a go at being a researcher over half term week (February 15 to 22).

They will be set the challenge of trying to identify individual Bewick’s swans from their unique bill patterns from the Peng Observatory.

As well as the trail there will be arts and crafts including making a swan hat.

Sue Belej, Learning manager at WWT Slimbridge, said: “Swans are incredibly elegant birds and form hearts with each other as part of their courtship, so we felt they were the perfect species to celebrate on Valentine’s Day.

“We are having the trail for half term week and hope that both families and romantic couples will find it fun.”

The trail is included in the normal admission costs or free to members.

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