To the editor:
The loss of our little swan family has greatly impacted life along the shores of Oneida Lake. We have watched our male swan for nearly 20 years, as he and his mate became our “pets.” They would come to our whistles like puppies and eat out of our hands.
Two years ago the female died and the male truly mourned her loss. When he found a new mate we were thrilled! They produced four babies this year and for the first time we finally had a swan family to love and care for.
On Father’s Day, the swan family was visiting with residents on the shore and people were taking pictures of them as usual, but all that would come to a tragic end Monday, June 18, when a boat filled with DEC hired “marksmen” surrounded the new mother and her babies coaxing our male swan to forcefully protect them. That was all they needed to shoot him, and then they shot the mother swan, threw a net over the babies and drowned them! Witnesses on the shore were screaming at them to stop!
We are all heartbroken. How is this even allowed to happen? There is a New York State Moratorium that protects our mute swans. The DEC tells us that the male swan attacked a kayaker and that’s why the entire family was “removed humanely.” (Per eye witnesses, we beg to differ.) Perhaps a plan to relocate them instead of recklessly destroying them! Maybe the public, who use the lake, needs to be educated to stay away from new babies or risk the wrath of a protecting father! Our male swan was doing what nature taught him to do… protect his young. There wasn’t one complaint in 20 years, but the male swan was intentionally provoked by people on jet skis, in boats, even swimmers, but the swan was murdered for protecting his family. Perhaps a law needs to be enacted that prevents tormenting wildlife! (There is currently a Change.org petition to stop the killing of mute swans in Michigan.) We also understand there are mute swans on Onondaga Lake that may also be at risk!
We are preparing to meet with local officials and the DEC to try to get some answers and to hold someone accountable for this abhorrent offense.
Nothing will bring our wonderful swan family back, yet somehow we hope to bring something positive from this senseless loss.
Carol Money
Save Our Lake Swans
Brewerton
