One of Iowa State’s celebrated swans, Lancelot, has been missing in action from Lake LaVerne since August.

While his lakemate, Elaine, remains at Lake LaVerne, Lancelot is being treated at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine for a leg injury.

Lancelot was injured in late August, when an ISU campus services employee mowing around the lake accidentally ran over the swan’s leg.

Curt Johnson, pest control operator at Iowa State for the past 17 years and primary caretaker of the two mute swans, said he was first on the scene after the accident.

“We had a problem with the swans last summer,” Johnson said. “They became more and more aggressive toward motorized equipment that made a lot of noise. They would posture their wings up, put their head back, fluff up their neck and would come at whatever was making the noise.”

Johnson said in this incident, the swan came toward the mower, which was a model that had tires behind its deck. The mower turned and the back tire came across Lancelot’s leg, he said.

“The worker didn’t know he was back there,” Johnson said. “I relate it somewhat to a farm dog that chases cars. Sometimes, if they’re not very good at it, they get hit.”

Johnson said this wasn’t the first time the swans were faced with an unfortunate incident at the lake.

“We’ve had one other incident when one of them had a fish hook in the mouth,” Johnson said. “We had to capture him, and take him out to Vet Med to have the fish hook removed. Besides that and the incident in August, we haven’t really had any problems with these particular swans.”

In mid-December, Lancelot returned briefly to Lake LaVerne. Johnson said he did fine while in the lake, but was having difficulties outside of the water when he was forced to put weight on the injured leg.

Johnson said after caretakers at the College of Veterinary Medicine pinned the swan’s leg bone, Lancelot developed an infection, which has caused arthritis.

Stacy Puchta, senior in animal ecology, works with the injured swan in his rehabilitation at the college.

“He’s doing a lot better,” Puchta said. “We have a hydrotherapy room with a bathtub, where he swims daily, and we walk him outside on the grass. He is also eating on his own now.”

Puchta said she expects Lancelot to return to Lake LaVerne this spring.

Ron Andrews, trumpeter swan restoration coordinator for Iowa, has worked with various swans brought to the Lake LaVerne during the past few years. He said he believes the committee should look into replacing the injured bird with a healthier one.

“I believe a new bird would be appropriate,” Andrews said. “I know the committee has accepted that as an option due to the arthritis Lancelot has. I recommend that they replace the injured male with another male, or they could get two new female birds.”

Whatever route the committee chooses to take, Johnson said, there will be swans on the lake.

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