Man who 'started on a swan' insists he grabbed it by the neck and dragged it through the park 'AFTER it attacked his child' – as video shows moment he's confronted by passer-by | Focusing on Wildlife

A man who allegedly started on a swan insisted he grabbed it by the neck and dragged it through the park only after it attacked his child.

Footage shows the man carrying the bird through the park near Caerphilly Castle in south Wales on Sunday afternoon, with the swan flapping its wings in a bid to break free.

Brandon Ryzy, 21, said he confronted the man who claimed the swan had ‘attacked his children’, but noted ‘there were no children around’. Mr Ryzy suspected the man was ‘under the influence’ of alcohol at the time.

Mr Ryzy screamed: ‘Put it f***ing down!’ His appeal was echoed by fellow park goers yelling ‘put it down!’

Gwent Police launched an appeal to help trace the man.

Mr Ryzy was walking home from his Christmas shopping on Sunday around 4.20pm when he saw the man dragging the bird.

Photos and video shared on Facebook shows the man carrying the swan in one hand and what appears to be a bottle in another.

Mr Ryzy alleged that the man ‘had alcohol’ on him during the ‘absolutely disgusting’ incident and was reluctant to put the bird down.

‘I had to be very aggressive to get him to stop,’ he told the news outlet, recalling how the swan flapped its wings until it was dropped.

He detailed how the bird’s feathers were ruffled near where its neck had been gripped and claimed it was seemingly ‘in shock’.

‘I watched the man walk off and stayed with the bird to see if it could get itself back to the moat,’ Mr Ryzy said.

The student, who shared footage of the incident online in a bid to help identify the man, said that bystanders in a nearby pub also witnessed the incident and reported it to Gwent Police.

The force told MailOnline today that officers searched the area, but the man was not found. They are currently working to trace him.

Caerphilly Bird Rescue has branded the attack as ‘sickening’.

All unmarked mute swans found in open water in England are regarded as belonging to the King and are protected by the monarch’s swan guard.

This means that taking a swan could be regarded as theft. Killing or injuring a swan could also result in a criminal damage or a wildlife related offence.

It is unclear if the swan attacked near Caerphilly Castle was protected by the Crown.

Anyone with any information about the attack can call police on 101, quoting 2300411149, or can direct message Gwent Police on social media.

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This article by Katherine Lawton and Natasha Anderson was first published by The Daily Mail on 5 December 2023. Lead Image: Mute Swan with cygnets – Converse, TX – Photo by Alesia Garlock.