Trumpeter swan dies after 20 years at the Detroit Zoo
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A trumpeter swan has died after spending 20 years at the Detroit Zoo.
Ron, the beloved swan, found sanctuary at the zoo in 2002.
Zoo officials say visitors would often see Ron swimming around the Cotton Family Wetlands and on his private island in the lake with his mate, Leslie Knope.
While trumpeter swans typically have a reputation for being territorial, but Ron was gentle. He would swim up to the side of the lake when he saw animal care staff and would patiently wait to be hand-fed food.
According to officials, Ron has been dealing with a chronic foot illness injury and, more recently, hasn't been able to walk.
Due to this illness, zoo officials made the decision for humane euthanasia.
