A wildlife rescue volunteer has been physically assaulted while trying to save an unwell cygnet after a member of the public wrongly believed he was stealing the bird, according to the rescue organisation involved.

The charity said the volunteer was wearing high-visibility clothing displaying its logo and explained that he was carrying out a rescue, but the confrontation still escalated.

Police were contacted and are investigating the incident.

The organisation said it was the most violent incident of its kind its volunteers had experienced, although members of the team have increasingly been challenged while rescuing swans, ducks and geese.

Charity warns against vigilantism

The group said volunteers have faced accusations that they are taking wild birds for food, particularly following political commentary and online claims about alleged thefts of birds.

It urged people to remain calm if they suspect wildlife crime and warned against confronting or attacking people without first establishing the facts.

The charity said members of the public can ask rescuers which organisation they represent, look for branded clothing or identification and contact the organisation directly to verify who they are.

It added that not every legitimate rescuer will carry identification or branded clothing, so the absence of either should not automatically be treated as evidence of wrongdoing.

Claims about stolen birds questioned

The rescue organisation also addressed widespread online claims that swans, geese and ducks are being stolen for human consumption.

It said that, despite dealing with large numbers of wildlife incidents and receiving hundreds of reports from the public, it had not seen concrete evidence showing the practice was happening on anything like the scale being suggested online.

The group stressed that it would take any credible evidence of wildlife crime seriously regardless of who was responsible.

However, it warned that heavily politicised claims could be contributing to hostility towards volunteers.

The charity said photographs of rescuers had previously been circulated online alongside allegations that they were stealing birds.

Volunteers already under pressure

The organisation said its unpaid volunteers regularly fit rescues around work, family commitments and other responsibilities, often giving up evenings and weekends to help injured animals.

It said volunteers already sometimes face abuse from people unhappy about response times or a perceived lack of updates.

The charity added that having to contend with the threat of physical violence was “enormously disheartening and distressing”.

It urged people to continue reporting genuine concerns about wildlife crime, but to avoid jumping to conclusions or resorting to violence.