The Charles River Esplanade’s “mother swan” died Monday night, officials said in a tweet.
“We’re saddened to report that the mother swan of the adorable Esplanade swan family passed away last night in her nest,” the tweet from the Esplanade association said.
Were saddened to report that the mother swan of the adorable Esplanade swan family passed away last night in her nest. We want to thank @animalboston for safely removing her from the swan's nest while the father swan sat at the nest with their cygnets tucked under his wings. pic.twitter.com/CnuYZOKWcK
— Charles River Esplanade (@EsplanadeBoston) June 1, 2021
The swan had hatched a group of cygnets beginning on May 24, the association said on Twitter.
Boston Animal Control removed the swan from her nest “while the father swan sat at the nest with their cygnets tucked under his wings,” according to the tweet.
Photographer Sylvia Zarco, who has documented the swan family on Instagram since April, described the mother swan’s final moments in a post.
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“I quickly realized something was wrong with mom,” Zarco wrote. “She was resting, sheltering her cygnets like the great mom she’s been for the past week. But she couldn’t lift and hold up her head. She stumbled when she stood, couldn’t swim straight and whatever she did, she only propelled herself backward.”
“When it was clear she couldn’t get back to the nest, he seemed to help her to the opposite shore where she eventually put her head on the rocks so she wouldn’t drown. But by the time Boston Animal Control (thank you Brad) could come to her aid, she had already died,” the post continued.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at charlie.mckenna@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @charliemckenna9.