A swan nicknamed "Hannibal" after he killed 15 other birds and injured dozens more could be removed from a pond to end his reign of terror.
Hannibal has lived with his mate, "Mrs Hannibal", and their cygnet alone on Castle Pond by Pembroke Castle in West Wales since February.
When other swans accidentally end up in his territory after straying from the nearby Mill Pond, which is separated by a bridge and barrage, he attacks them, volunteer rescuer Maria Evans said.
She has applied for an official licence to remove the family to carry out tests and protect the other swans.
Ms Evans said: "There are about 60 to 70 swans in Mill Pond and if one accidentally lands in his territory he will corner them and duck them under until they drown or get them on to a ledge and smash their feet to smithereens with his beak.
"I think he is an absolute terror but I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt that there could be a reason he is like this.
"When I get the licence from the Countryside Council of Wales I will remove him so we can do some research.
"It could be the water quality in his pond, there is hardly any green food for them there. Or it could be pollution, lead poisoning, or he could have swallowed a fish hook and be in pain."
If Ms Evans receives the licence to remove him, the swan will be taken to her farm in Amroth, Pembrokeshire, where she runs Tinker's Hill Bird of Prey & Swan Rescue Centre, so blood tests can be carried out.
She said: "He will be here until we can determine if he has a solvable problem. If it is treatable he will be relocated, perhaps to a private lake."
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