Edna Aucamp, Gunter Rau Swan Lake

Annotation

SWAN LAKE is the true journey of ODETTE's Swan Family through tragedy into wonder, with the passion and devotion of Dr.Gunter Rau who braved the rescue of her eggs from the grasp of a terrible April storm. After a five week incubation period, two beautiful cygnets hatched from the batch of nine eggs he salvaged. Reintroduced to their mother ODETTE she eventually accepted them as her own. As soon as the swan father saw the little just hatched swans united with their mother, he immediately started fulfilling his role in nurturing them. From April to August 2013 the fate of this swan family was followed up weekly, documented and photographed to monitor the progress of the only two hatched cygnets, their safety being the main concern. They survived their endangered first days of life, until after 10 weeks they have grown into real little swans. The study and images of this swan family are unique in this field and of incomparable value.