Balboa Peninsula swan Pearl succumbs to injuries

June Casagrande

BALBOA PENINSULA--Pearl, the black swan beloved by many Peninsula

residents, died Tuesday morning in the animal hospital where she was

being treated for an infection.

“It’s so sad,” said Gay Wassall-Kelly, who has fed and cared for

Pearl and her mate Rupert for years. “I called yesterday and she was

fine.”

Pearl was readmitted to the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center last

week after an infection on her leg flared back up.

The wound, which ultimately became infected and killed Pearl, may

have been caused by a dog bite.

Pearl and Rupert had survived a number of seemingly

life-threatening ailments, including getting covered with petroleum

oil and encounters with animals, boats and fish hooks.

Kelly said wildlife care center staff are considering either

bringing Pearl’s body to the beach to allow Rupert to realize that

his mate is dead or possibly taking Rupert to the wildlife center to

view Pearl there.

“They mate for life, so he needs to mourn,” Kelly said.

Care center staff will perform an autopsy to learn whether it was

the infection that caused Pearl’s death and whether pollutants in

harbor waters contributed.

Kelly adopted Pearl in 1999 as a companion for Rupert, who had

lived in the harbor alone for years. The two frequented the shores on

the peninsula, where residents such as Kelly would often feed them.

Most days, they couple would spend a lot of time in the shores off

Bay Drive, where they would eat eel grass.

Adele Mann, a longtime peninsula resident who used to feed the

black swans, said Pearl will be sorely missed.

“I really enjoyed having them walk by, I enjoyed their

relationship with each other,” Mann said. “One time I got her to eat

out of my hand. Rupert wouldn’t, but Pearl did.

“It’s very sad,” she added. “I’ll miss her. She was a bright spot

on the peninsula.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

[email protected].