Swan Seeks Mate: Must Like Cold Lake and Small Flock

[douglas9]

It all started with a sad black swan.

The swan, who had recently lost his mate, would not move away from a vending machine at Tri-Township Park in Troy, Ill. The swan stared at his reflection below the Dr Pepper dispensers, thinking it showed his mate, park officials said.

The swan needed a new partner, but the parks department would not be able to budget for new swans until April, said Sandy Pensoneau, the office manager at the Tri-Township Park District. So the agency decided to raise money to get a new match for the black swan, and for a white swan who had also just lost his mate.

Park regulars had been clamoring for a response, Ms. Pensoneau said. “The people that walk the park every day, they’re like, ‘Hey, you guys need to do something. This is sad,’” she said.

On Thursday, the department posted a flyer on social media that asked the public to donate money to help the swans “find companionship again.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/us/swan-mates-fundraiser-troy-illinois.html

[Goonch]

1. ;-{) A black swan found a new buddy after community members in Troy, Ill., raised money to bring them together.