Now swan dies after tourist selfies

Just weeks after a baby dolphin died after being passed around for selfies, another animal has died for a close-up.

Cape Town - Just weeks after a baby dolphin died after being passed around for selfies, another animal has died for a close-up.

This time a swan on Lake Ohrid in Macedonia was dragged out of the water by its wing and forced to be in a series of selfies and pictures because a Bulgarian tourist thought that might it look good on social media.

According to eyewitnesses, the woman took a number of photos with the swan, which was later discarded on the beach where it died. The causes of the death is unknown.

Lake Ohrid is a tourist hotspot and sources say this was perhaps the reason why the swan did not react when the tourist picked it up the first time.

However, moments passed and onlookers said that the swan began resisting and fighting to be freed from the manhandling.

It was reported that the swan “remained motionless on the beach after the encounter”.

Three weeks ago, an endangered baby dolphin was passed around by a mob of tourists on an Argentinian beach and in a similar manner, was discarded on the beach where it died of overheating.

In that same week, a peacock at a Chinese wildlife park “died of fright” (in other words, heart failure) after it was enticed with food by a group of tourists, had its feathers plucked and was passed around for selfies.

The deaths have sparked outrage with conservationists calling for an immediate end to this dangerous selfie craze.

“How many more examples of animal suffering do we need before ignorant gawkers understand that animals are not playthings for them to use and abuse?” said PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi.

yasmine.jacobs@inl.co.za

IOL Intern