Lovesick swan sails back to her first love

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Remember the story about Petra, a black swan at a German zoo who garnered international attention in 2006 when she apparently developed a fondness for a boat shaped like an oversized white swan? She refused to leave its side.

Well, this winter, she left the boat behind upon meeting a live white swan, and started to build a nest together with her new beau at a zoo. The boat sailed back to its solitary status.

But trouble arose in Petra’s paradise. Last month, the male swan abandoned her, causing Petra to incessantly swim around in an agitated state and ‘appear to feel lonely,’ zoo officials said.

So, officials decided to reunite her with the boat. The reunion took place in late March.

Zoo director Joerg Adler told the Associated Press it was too early to tell whether Petra will stay with the boat this time.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta