“Beloved Palace of Fine Arts swan was found dead of apparent zinc, lead poisoning. His female companion seems to be responding well to treatment.”
The following written content by Nora Mishanec
A white swan who delighted visitors to the Palace of Fine Arts for 17 years was found dead Monday from what veterinarians believe could be zinc and lead poisoning, according to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.
Blue Boy, one of two swans known to frequent the waters around the Palace of Fine Arts, was found unresponsive Monday morning while being treated for possible poisoning, San Francisco Zoo and Gardens said on Twitter. His female companion, known as Blanche, was also believed to have been poisoned, but was responding well to treatment, officials wrote.
“Our hearts are with his longtime mate Blanche and all of the Palace visitors who loved him,” zoo officials said of Blue Boy’s death.
The zoo was awaiting the results of a necropsy before specifying the swan’s cause of death, but said veterinarians suspect zinc and lead poisoning in both swans. Officials have not identified the source of the heavy metals that are believed to have contributed to the swan’s death.
Veterinarians continued to investigate the cause of his death and the source of the suspected metal poisoning in both swans, zoo officials said. The zoo ordered laboratory results for the soil in the swans’ habitat. Read more from San Francisco Chronicle.
