Otis, one of Kitchener’s beloved swans, has died. The city announced the sad news on Friday. Otis spent more than 15 years swimming around Victoria Park. That’s where the city said the swan was found in a “very lethargic” state. “We brought him to a veterinarian, had him looked after,” said Josh Shea, Kitchener’s manager of forestry and natural areas management. “Unfortunately, at that time, he was not able to recover from the illness.” He also noted that Otis had “a couple of underlying medical conditions.” A life well-lived Swans in captivity live, on average, between 20 and 25 years. Otis was believed to be 19 years old. His first mate was a mute swan named Snowy who sadly passed away. Then, Otis fell for Ophelia. “They met over winter vacation,” said Shea. The lovebirds have always been a favourite with locals. Their likeness was sold on merchandise and even fan accounts created on social media. In 2022, Otis and Ophelia had a cygnet who died shortly after birth. “The first few days and weeks of a young swan’s life are vulnerable,” the city explained at the time. Fate of Ophelia Mute swans tend to mate for life, which means Ophelia will likely be grieving her lost love for a long time. “We’re just kind of trying to keep an eye on her and see how she’s reacting,” Shea said. “Like any bird that’s lost their mate, they’re going to be looking for them, calling for them.” City staff are hoping the public will give Ophelia some space. “Not feeding her, not trying to approach her,” explained Shea. Staff hope, one day, she’ll want to find a new mate. “We’re ideally looking for that same scenario,” Shea said. “To put her in contact with other swans to see if she meets somebody. Her choice. She’ll pick somebody if she likes that or that bird. Otherwise, we may look to find her a friend or a mate or someone that will spend time in the park with her.” Ophelia will stay at Victoria Park for the next few weeks until it’s time to retire to her winter home. Remembering Otis Cora Andersen will miss seeing Otis around Victoria Park. “It made me very, very sad. Very sad. I would come down and spend time with them if they came close enough,” she said, adding, “It kind of broke my heart.” Sylvia Miehm is another frequent visitor at the park. “I’m speechless,” she said. “That’s how I feel about it.” Neil Moogk-Soulis has been a longtime watcher of Otis and Ophelia. “It’s always difficult,” he said. “You know, animals don’t live forever. I know Victoria Park can be a challenge for wildlife to live in, but I think he had 19 years. That was a good run for a swan.” The city also acknowledged the loss to the community. “We know this news will be very difficult for the many people who came to know and care for Otis,” they wrote in a media release. “We are grateful for the community’s kindness and care for both swans.”
