Officials suspect bird flu after 12 swans die at Orlando's Lake Eola
[December 30, 2025]
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A dozen of the iconic swans that live in the heart
of downtown Orlando, Florida, have died in recent days of an unknown
cause, leading officials to suspect that bird flu is to blame.
The deaths of the swans at Lake Eola don't appear to be suspicious,
Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said Monday on social media.
About five dozen swans lived at the park before the recent deaths. The
last bird flu outbreak in the park was in February 2024.
Because the deaths have taken place during holiday season, the city's
specialized veterinarians weren't available to do an immediate
evaluation. The dead swans were being stored in a secure location so
necropsies can be performed and a cause of death determined, the city
commissioner said.
“We can't be certain until tests are completed,” Sheehan said.
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In this Monday, May 19, 2014 photo, swans swim in Lake Eola as the
sun sets in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
 The swans have been at Lake Eola for
more than a century and are symbols of the central Florida city.
They have been painted on street murals at city intersections, and
visitors can rent swan-shaped pedal-boats at the park.
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