An Illinois man drowned in a pond after falling off his kayak when a swan attacked him, with his death ruled an accident Sunday.
Anthony Hensley, 37, was working Saturday -- as part of his job keeping geese away from a condominium complex near Des Plaines -- when it is thought he got too close to a swan and it attacked him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The swan had been placed in the pond by the company Hensley was working for, in a bid to keep geese away.
Hensley was checking on the swan while in his kayak, but he capsized after the bird moved towards him.
Witnesses saw him come up to the surface a couple of times before he went under again and did not resurface.
He was pulled from the water by rescuers after about 45 minutes of searching, the Chicago Tribune reported.
He was taken in serious condition to Lutheran General Hospital where he died.
On Sunday, following an autopsy, Hensley's death was ruled to be from accidental drowning, the Sun-Times reported.
Anthony Hensley, 37, was working Saturday -- as part of his job keeping geese away from a condominium complex near Des Plaines -- when it is thought he got too close to a swan and it attacked him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The swan had been placed in the pond by the company Hensley was working for, in a bid to keep geese away.
Hensley was checking on the swan while in his kayak, but he capsized after the bird moved towards him.
Witnesses saw him come up to the surface a couple of times before he went under again and did not resurface.
He was pulled from the water by rescuers after about 45 minutes of searching, the Chicago Tribune reported.
He was taken in serious condition to Lutheran General Hospital where he died.
On Sunday, following an autopsy, Hensley's death was ruled to be from accidental drowning, the Sun-Times reported.
that pic in my folder marked Beware the swans .......that friggin thing was in my boat not 2 min earlyer kickin the crap out of me when there nesting they can be 30lbs of nasty ...I hear ya John shouild of had a vest on workin or not never know when something stupid will happen and your face down in the water......
Some more info on the incident
Swans have a seemingly placid demeanor, and their monogamous mating habits have long made them a symbol of lasting love. But the creatures -- generally snowy white, with long graceful necks and a black "mask" around their eyes -- are territorial and can be quite aggressive when threatened. This aggression makes them good at driving off geese; it can also lead to tragedy.
Anthony Hensley was a 37-year-old married father of two who worked for a company that uses dogs and swans to shoo pesky geese from properties in the area. Hensley had taken to a kayak Sunday morning to check on the swans in a Des Plaines-area pond when one of the larger birds turned on him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Cook County sheriff’s investigators believe Hensley either got too close to the swan or the swan’s nesting area, the Sun-Times said. Hensley rolled off his kayak and landed in the water, and the swan kept up its relentless attack.
The Sun-Times reports that the swan continued to pursue Hensley as he tried to swim to shore. Hensley was submerged when emergency workers arrived, and an autopsy found that he died from drowning near the Bay Colony condominiums in
Swans have a seemingly placid demeanor, and their monogamous mating habits have long made them a symbol of lasting love. But the creatures -- generally snowy white, with long graceful necks and a black "mask" around their eyes -- are territorial and can be quite aggressive when threatened. This aggression makes them good at driving off geese; it can also lead to tragedy.
Anthony Hensley was a 37-year-old married father of two who worked for a company that uses dogs and swans to shoo pesky geese from properties in the area. Hensley had taken to a kayak Sunday morning to check on the swans in a Des Plaines-area pond when one of the larger birds turned on him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Cook County sheriff’s investigators believe Hensley either got too close to the swan or the swan’s nesting area, the Sun-Times said. Hensley rolled off his kayak and landed in the water, and the swan kept up its relentless attack.
The Sun-Times reports that the swan continued to pursue Hensley as he tried to swim to shore. Hensley was submerged when emergency workers arrived, and an autopsy found that he died from drowning near the Bay Colony condominiums in