Animal welfare officers were called in to free a young swan that had become tangled in fishing line - with a hook through its neck. The cygnet was spotted by the public as it was tangled in fishing lines and quickly rescued by Melbourne Zoo’s Marine Response Unit. Footage captured near Spotswood's Westgate Bridge shows the animal being caught in a net before one responder carefully removes the fishing line from around its body. The bird was taken back to Melbourne Zoo overnight where additional footage shows veterinarians removed the hook from the cygnet’s throat through an endoscopic procedure. Coordinator Mark Keenan said: “The cygnet was part of a family of six - four cygnets and two parents - which live near the Westgate Bridge in Spotswood. "Sadly, the poor bird had swallowed a fishing hook, which was still attached to a heavy sinker.” The cygnet was returned back to the wild the following day after recovering from the procedure and anaesthetic. The zoo and its response workers have urged people to discard plastic in a responsible way as the beaches become more popular in the hotter weather. “Each year, we see an increase of reports throughout spring and summer when people are more likely to be out enjoying our beaches, lakes and piers,” Mr Keenan said. “Being mindful about how we dispose of our plastic and fishing waste goes a long way in reducing the impact and harm on marine wildlife. “Likewise, the more that we can avoid humanising wild animals through feeding, the less likely they will be to hang around and be at risk of entanglement.”
