White swan turns black due to 'unknown substance' dumped in pond

In a bizarre incident, a white swan turned black after an unknown substance was dumped in a pond in Westbury, England.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said it could be a printer toner.

Covered in a black powdery substance, the swan was taken to RSPCA West Hatch where staff were shocked to see the bird. A probe has been launched to determine if this was done on purpose.

The bird was carefully cleaned in a large tub of frothing water. RSPCA Inspector Steph Daly said that he was horrified as it looked like a black swan.

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Before being rescued, the bird was spotted desperately trying to wash off the substance in a pond off Mane Way. Inspector Daly said that the RSPCA was really concerned due to the state of the swan.

Initially, they had thought it was oil but the substance’s powdery texture indicated otherwise.

The charity said the task was “labour intensive”.