ISU swan hurt after dive at lawnmower

One of Iowa State University’s famous swans is swimming in a whirlpool these days rather than in Lake LaVerne on the southern edge of campus. I-S-U spokesman John McCarroll says “Lancelot” the swan was injured late last month in a mishap with a lawn mower.McCarroll says Lancelot may have been annoyed by the sound or the motion of the lawn mower. Whatever it was, the swan started chasing the machine.Somehow the lawn mower ran over a webbed-foot, and the swan’s leg was broken. The swan is recuperating after folks at Iowa State’s Vet Med College operated and inserted a pin in Lancelot’s leg.Doctors say the swan’s reluctant to walk on his repaired leg, so they’re putting him in a whirlpool for therapy. McCarroll says the swans are a special symbol of the university.Lancelot’s mate, called Elaine, is left alone on Lake LaVerne.Iowa State has had a pair of swans on Lake LaVerne since the 1930s. The latest “Elaine,” though, is a male so the current pair of swans are two guys.