SFist reported on Friday that the Palace of Fine Arts' "orphaned, injured and recently rehabbed" swan, Bella, was rejected and treated as an intruder by her brother, Baby Blue, and sister-in-law, Blanche, who were being ultra-protective of their three-week-old cygnet Martha. Well, things keep getting worse for the poor Palace swan family. Bay City News is reporting that baby Martha went missing on Thursday night, and it's suspected that either a hawk or a raccoon took her.

Palace caretaker Gayle Hagerty told BSN that although the death is very upsetting to humans, it's very natural in the animal world. Swans normally lose about two out of six of the cygnets that are hatched, and Blue Boy and Blanche are inexperienced parents.

Hm, perhaps if Blue Boy and Blanche had another swan around to help them protect the baby from predators... Someone like an aunt?