Swan falls for paddle boat

Rare black swan has fallen in love with a plastic swan paddle boat for hire on a German lake.



According to biologists, the Black Australian Swan is showing all the typical signs of love - circling its plastic lover, staring endlessly at it and making crooning noises.

Both boat and swan live on the Aasee lake in Muenster, north-western Germany.

The boat, a large white plastic peddalo designed to look like a swan, is hired out to families who want to picnic on the lake.



When the striking looking swan arrived at the lake a few months ago it instantly became a local attraction and now that it has fallen in love with the boat it has become a major star - with souvenir shops selling t-shirts, snow globes and key rings depicting the star-crossed lovers.

But locals say tourists are now nervous about hiring that particular boat thanks to its ever vigilant admirer.

And yacht school owner Peter Overschmidt complained: "When I sail too close to the peddalo, the black bird puffs up its feathers and hoots at me."

Biologist Dirk Wewers from the local Allwetter Zoo said: "This behaviour proves that the swan has built an attachment with the peddle boat."

And biologists are worried that because swans are monogamous, this one will waste its life pining away for its plastic lover.

Expert Andrea Klein says they are worried what will happen when the boat is locked away for the winter but they are relatively confident the swan will recover.