The Bergen County Police and Bergen County Animal Control rescued a “swan in distress” from the lower lake of the Ramapo Reservation Thursday afternoon, BCPO Lt. James Mullin confirmed Thursday. But, the swan is still fighting off injuries it sustained in the process, officials said.

According to Mullin, the swan has a hook stuck in it and was “in danger of death.”

The swan was “impaled by a large fish hook and [had] fishing line wrapped around its neck, restricting its head movement so it could not lift its head out of the water,” Mullin said. It was stuck about 20 yards off shore, Mullin said.

The BCPD's water search and recovery unit attempted to reach the swan via a small motor boat, but “when the swan heard the boats motor start up it swam close enough to shore and was retrieved by Animal Control,” he said.

The swan suffered some “serous injuries” during the ordeal, and was transported to a bird rehabilitation facility in Millington, police said.

Cops have not yet released details about how the swan may have ended up hooked in the Mahwah lake.

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