A man has been filmed capturing a swan on the banks of the Vltava River in Prague and carrying the bird to his car, where he placed it inside a box.

Police are now trying to identify him and determine whether a crime was committed.

The footage, recorded on the Smíchov embankment, began circulating on social media this week. It shows the man grabbing a swan near the water, holding it tightly against his body, and walking away from the river.

Prague police have confirmed they are investigating. Officers from the Smíchov district are handling the case and are working to identify the man seen in the video. “The legal classification of the act is still being assessed. It will be determined whether this is a criminal offense or a misdemeanor,” police spokesman Richard Hrdina said.

Investigators have received video material and photographs from the witness, including images showing the vehicle’s license plate. Animal welfare activists say there are indications the man may have acted in a similar way before.

That suspicion was echoed by Prague Deputy Mayor Jiří Pospíšil, who also shared the video online. He said he had received reports that a man matching the same description had been seen on river embankments in the past, and possibly even after the current footage was recorded.

Pospíšil urged the public to report any similar incidents immediately to municipal police or state police. He also called on anyone who may have witnessed or recorded earlier cases to come forward, saying such testimony could help clarify what has been happening along the river.

Prague police have dealt with a similar case before.In December 2021, officers intervened on the Smíchov side of the Vltava after a sixty-four-year-old man was caught catching swans and loading them into his car.

At the time, the man claimed he was trying to help the birds because fishing hooks were allegedly stuck in their throats. He said he had veterinary training but was unable to provide proof.

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