By Desirée Drane-Davison
Executive Director
Riverside Discovery Center is pleased to announce our two female swan cygnets have gone to Zoo Idaho in Pocatello, ID as part of the Oregon Trumpeter Swan Restoration Project. A collaboration between the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW), Zoo Idaho, the AZA Trumpeter Swan SSP, and the Trumpeter Swan Society, this project’s goal is to restore a viable breeding population to eastern Oregon.
Zoo Idaho is a soft release/ wintering site for cygnets slated for release at Summer Lake Wildlife Area in Oregon. During a soft release, swans will be given space with other swans and limited interaction with humans. This is a key step in preparing them for release into the wild. RDC is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to conservation efforts for this species through its participation in the Trumpeter Swan SSP (Species Survival Plan).