Why We Chose Two Trumpeter Swans to Symbolize Fellow Mortals
Fellow Mortals' logo
was designed for us by Robin Raab, an accomplished Wisconsin artist. It
depicts two Trumpeter Swans, endangered in the state of Wisconsin, and
memorializes the two Trumpeters with which we have worked. Both swans were
brought to us suffering from lead poisoning, which they contracted after
ingesting spent lead shot while feeding. One, a cygnet, was successfully
rehabilitated and is still alive today, nearly 5 years later. The other,
an adult, came in unable to stand or feed itself and, with intensive care
-- including gavaging (stomach-feeding), lavaging to remove lead from the
ventriculus (gizzard), intravenous and intramuscular injections of a chelating
agent to remove lead from the bone, blood and tissue, antibiotics to fight
infection and antifungals to prevent stress-related aspergillosis -- stood
and trumpeted after 10 weeks of mutual struggle and hope, only to die the
next day of hemmoraghic bowel, the lead's legacy to this magnificent bird.
I do not regret one single moment spent in his care.
The Trumpeter who lives today is the
swan depicted in flight, and represents the majority of our patients, who
survive. The Trumpeter who died is the swan depicted struggling to take
flight, and memorializes all of those patients who, despite our care, our
work and their own will to survive, will never live to be set free. Wildlife
rehabilitation is a melancholy sport and the joys of our successes can
never offset the sorrow we feel for our losses. Each patient's struggle
is unique to a single consciousness and we honor each animal lost by never
forgetting that the world is a poorer place for their absence.