In the 60’s, the U.S. petitioned world scientists to designate a species as the International Symbol of Peace.  The Mute Swan was chosen.  U.S. and state wildlife officials, National Audubon Society and other hunting entities promoted the killing of Mutes in the 80’s so larger Trumpeter Swans could be introduced for Trophy Waterfowl hunting.

U.S. Wildlife officials asked Congress to remove Mute Swans from the Federal Migratory Bird Act so they could be killed based upon being non-native and an invasive species.

·        FACT:  The U.S. Federal Appeals Court when shown irrefutable evidence that the Mute Swans were native species, ruled that U.S. Wildlife could not kill the species in Maryland. The court ruled that wildlife officials must ditch the “junk science” and produce scientific evidence that the Mutes were damaging the Chesapeake Bay.

·        FACT: In 2014, Larry Hindman, Maryland DNR admitted at the International Swan Symposium that  Maryland DNR killed all Mute Swans except 2 mating pair, destroyed 1863 nests and 9,403 eggs after the Federal Appeals ruling which Mr. Hindman stated did not pertain to the state. The Mute Swan killings were never based upon research and were intentionally concealed from the media and public. Currently, high levels of nitrogen are still present in the Chesapeake Bay and Mute Swans can no longer be blamed.

·        FACT:  Wildlife officials admitted at the International Swan Symposium that Trumpeter Swan eggs were harvested from Alaska, incubated at Milwaukee Zoo and offspring were introduced into Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and other states.  Many of these areas never had Trumpeter Swans prior to their introduction by wildlife officials. Some of these same states, bemoaning a non-native species, actually import non-native invasive species such as the Asian Pheasant for hunting purposes.

·        FACT: Indiana and many other states want a Native Swan, yet import a non-native, invasive, parasitic species: Asian Pheasant for hunting purposes. Why kill the Mute Swans if they are deemed non-native, yet intentionally import a non-native game bird species condoned and permitted by the Indiana DNR and in some research is shown to compete with the native Prairie Chicken which is now listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

·        FACT:  Barb Avers, Michigan DNR stated the cost of killing Mute Swans in Michigan alone, cost taxpayers $100,000-$125,000 to the U.S. Wildlife Services, $25,000 to Michigan DNR. Staff, salaries, equipment or other ancillary costs WERE NOT considered in the above expenses. Ms. Avers stated “The program was going to run out of money in the near future and the project was not going to be sustainable”.

THESE costs did not include salaries and other expenses on a yearly basis beginning in the 90’s and culminating currently.  So, if these are basic, non-complete totals for the killing of Mute Swans in Michigan, how much is the Killing of Mute Swans costing the Indiana taxpayer?

·        In 2014, the NY Senate unanimously passed legislation to prevent any further killings of Mute Swans or listing them as an invasive species for 2 years until true research was conducted.

·        FACT:  In 2014, international swan specialists stated that the Mute Swan was in fact a Sentinel species, not invasive.   Mute Swans alert scientists to the presence of high levels of heavy metals such as copper and lead as well as harmful microorganisms.  Mute Swans were found NOT to be the primary carriers of HN51 Avian Flu virus.  Unlike the Mutes, poultry, mallard ducks and bar-headed goose, which are primary carriers, are not being killed for “investigational waterfowl disease monitoring”. 

·        FACT: The number of sportspersons rose from 33.9 million in 2006 to 37.4 million in 2011. The data show that 33.1 million people fished, 13.7 million hunted, and 71.8 million participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity such as observing, feeding and photographing wildlife.

http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/2011_Survey.htm

The MUTE SWANS are a Native, Non-Invasive species that needs protecting, NOT KILLING. Revenues from Bird Watching, especially these beautiful birds far outweigh the numbers gleaned from killing them or the future Trophy Waterfowl, the Trumpeter Swans.

We need YOUR HELP by notifying your state wildlife officials and state representatives, that the killing of Mute Swans needs to cease. Please sign these petitions and any others that you may find to stop the killings and/or call:

Indiana Governor Mike Pence:  MPENCE@state.in.us  or call 317-232-4567

Indiana DNR Director Cameron Clark:  cclark@dnr.in.gov  or call 317-234-1072

Visit:  www.21stcenturyradio.com (Go to listen online, Amazing Swans 7/6/14), or go to YouTube-Amazing Swans presented by Linda Edwards, FAE Entertainment.