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Humane Society wades into mute swan debate with plan

The Humane Society of the United States sent a letter last week outlining several proposals on how to address mute swan population issues, including a moratorium on the killing of the swans, to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The Humane Society of the United States is not affiliated with the Michigan Humane Society.

According to Karen Stamper, a Walled Lake resident who has been fighting on behalf of mute swans for years, the Humane Society got involved in April after being separately alerted by Stamper and a Muskegon woman about the issues surrounding mute swans in Michigan, particularly the DNR recently approving a conservation order prohibiting the rehabilitation of injured or sick mute swans and their release back into the wild.

Stamper said she believes the Humane Society getting involved will help raise awareness of mute swan issues.

The mute swan is considered an exotic, invasive, non-native species in the United States, according to state and federal wildlife officials. Native to Europe and parts of Asia, the species is believed to have been introduced to North America from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s for its ornamental value.

However, since then, mute swans have been able to out-compete other native waterfowl for breeding habitats and continue to reproduce at a high rate. According to DNR statistics, the Michigan population has risen from an estimated 5,400 in 2000 to an estimated 15,000 in 2010.

As a non-native species, the mute swan is not protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Therefore, the regulation of mute swans is the exclusive jurisdiction of states.

According to the DNR, mute swans pose threats to native wildlife, humans, and wetland habitats.

The DNR has a Mute Swan Management and Control Program Policy which outlines short- and long-term state population goals, which include reducing Michigan’s mute swan population growth to zero by 2016 and to reduce the overall population to less than 2,000 by 2030.

While hunting mute swans is not allowed, the DNR issues permits to remove mute swans and to destroy their nests and eggs.

More information on the Mute Swan Management and Control Program Policy can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

According to the Humane Society letter to the DNR sent by Dr. John Grandy, senior vice president of wildlife and habitat protection for the Humane Society of the United States, the DNR’s program policy document is inadequate.

“Neither document provides more than summary assertions as to the presumably negative activities or behaviors attributed to free-ranging mute swans that could justify killing individual swans, much less the wholesale destruction of (tens) of thousands envisioned in the Order or Program Policy,” Grandy wrote.

He also wrote that there is a lack of supporting data and case studies that support the need for mass mute swan killing.

“There seem to be no concrete objectives short of unjustified lethal population reduction,” Grandy wrote. “Taken together the two documents are not a professional management plan at all — they are just a blueprint for large scale killing of mute swans.”

The Humane Society outlined several proposals after meeting with representatives of the DNR and included them in the letter. Initially, the Humane Society says the DNR should:

• Immediately suspend the Wildlife Division Mute Swan Management and Control Program Policy and Procedures and begin to immediately revise and update the document;

• Immediately appoint local mute swan advisory committees and a statewide committee, consisting of representatives of the Michigan Humane Society, the Michigan Save Our Swans Committee, and the Humane Society of the United States, along with others to advise the department on non-lethal management options and to liaise with the DNR in the development of a comprehensive mute swan stewardship and management plan; and

• Declare a voluntary moratorium on the lethal control of free ranging mute swans, except in emergency situations that would last until a new comprehensive plan is completed.

The DNR is currently reviewing the proposals.

“We just received it late last week,” said DNR Waterfowl Specialist Barbara Avers. “We will be reviewing that and then preparing a response to the proposal.”

“Hopefully, they will look at the proposal, and the public will get involved so that a moratorium will be put on the killings until we can work out a better plan between the various groups and the (Humane Society),” Stamper said.

15 Responses to Humane Society wades into mute swan debate with plan

  1. crazy townie

    July 18, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    The Humane Society kills ALL hunting dogs surrendered to them.

    They make no attempt to place these animals.

    The Michigan Humane Society is in no way expert or even informed regarding wildlife.

    • Karen Stamper

      July 19, 2012 at 11:56 am

      It’s the Humane Society of the United States, not the Humane Society. They are two separate entities. I thought people may be confused when they read the article.

  2. John Holmes

    July 19, 2012 at 7:16 am

    Imagine how many more NATIVE ducks and fowl would be in our lakes area without the Swan! If it was a 3 headed snake, some bleeding heart would want to save them. They are ugly, nasty, giant poop laying invasive birds. Kill them and let the native species recover with more food and nesting areas. Think about it peeps, if a Swan will attack your boat, what chance does a Wood Duck have? Get rid of the Lake Rats! Crazy Townie is right, the Humane Society kills all hunting dogs (including mine), so it seems a bit selective on it’s protective, animal loving rhetoric and practices. Bottom line: Swans are nasty and there are FAR TOO MANY.

  3. Karen Stamper

    July 19, 2012 at 11:54 am

    It’s the Humane Society of the United States, not the Humane Society. They are two different entities. If your lakes have jet skis and boats or people that hate animals, you most likely will never see a trumpeter or other rare waterbird that likes it quiet. Maybe we should start eliminating some of these jet skis and see what kind of waterfowl and waterbirds we start seeing on our lakes.

    http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-killing-of-mute-swans-in-michigan

  4. Cecelia Whapham

    July 19, 2012 at 1:20 pm

    The Humane Society of the United States, Washington, D.C. is NOT TO BE CONFUSED with The Michigan Humane Society, Detroit, Auburn Hills, and Westland. These are two very separate groups

  5. Cherie Hogan

    July 19, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    Swans rarely come out of the water for any reason, so, Mr Holmes doesn’t know what he is talking about. On our lake we have loons and mutes who nest close to each other with zero competition and I have personally never seen a mute attack any other waterbird on this lake. Unfortunately ‘aggressive’ swans usually have been hand-fed by people who don’t know any better or they have been unmercifully chased by jet-skiers or are trying to protect their young. Our lake association is working on a resolution calling on the DNR to cease killing any of the mutes as they have been here in Northern Michigan since the turn of the century. As for the killing of hunting dogs, if it’s true, that’s just as heartless no matter who does it. Personally I feel sorry for all of our animals. If a dog snaps at a kid who pokes it in the eye…the dog is killed for being aggressive. Animals of all sorts must always be docile, friendly and willing to take the wrath of humans or it’s curtains for them whether it be the mute swans or dogs or any other animal who unwittingly becomes the target of a cruel or ignorant human or agency.

  6. Cecelia Whapham

    July 19, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    Once again, it is The Humane Society of the United States (Washington, DC) that has offered several proposals on how to address mute swans, including a moratorium on the killing of same. The Michigan Humane Society has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! Please do not confuse a local group with an international organization.

    • AJ

      July 19, 2012 at 3:04 pm

      Cecelia Whapham wrote: “The Michigan Humane Society has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!”

      And yet, the Humane Society of the United States appears to be advocating FOR the Michigan Humane Society.

      You can find evidence of this fact in one of the Humane Society of the United States’ proposals: “Immediately appoint local mute swan advisory committees and a statewide committee, consisting of representatives of the Michigan Humane Society…”

  7. AJ

    July 19, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    The Humane Society said as one of its proposals: “Immediately appoint local mute swan advisory committees and a statewide committee, consisting of representatives of the Michigan Humane Society, the Michigan Save Our Swans Committee, and the Humane Society of the United States…”

    Those would be incredibly biased committees because they would likely all be against the killing of swans – which may or may not be necessary, but which always should be an option.

    The fact is that the National Audubon Society, the Michigan Audubon Society, the American Bird Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited are just a few of the organizations that have endorsed the reduction of mute swan populations. Without representatives from those groups also being on the committees, there would be no balanced points of view (as it relates to the reduction of swans via lethal means).

  8. Martin Logan

    July 20, 2012 at 6:37 am

    Why would we wish to entangle this issue any further by bringing in the Humane Society?

    Did anyone vote for these people? Why would we allow them to influence our decisions?

    Also, why is it that these swan people are the least informed on the subject? In their minds, the mean well but the scope of their understanding is limited. There is a marked difference between a Biologist/Naturalist and an advocate; these swan people are advocates.

  9. JoAnn Ilgenfritz

    July 20, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Martin doesn’t seem to believe that the advocates know what they are talking about – wrong. They are actually much more informed then the DNR or either of the Humane Society groups. These advocates have been involved for many years trying to make a change – first with the geese round up programs which are just plain Nasty and Cruel – now the people who live on the lakes are determine to kill off the swans unilaterally – no vote, no other voices being heard – this is what the advocates are trying to change. Once the swans are slaughtered, then what wildlife or waterfowl will be next these people will never be content until everything is gone. Now the Advocates have drawn the attention of and support of those who can truly help with the cause and the backing of people all over the world who have called to protest. The DNR is supposed to protect and all they do is kill and destroy – it is not the waterfowl ruining the lakes, it is the water skis, motor boats, jet skis and the like. And, as far as the Biologist they are oblivious as to what is destroying the vegetation so stop worrying about the Swans and other waterfowl and worry about the people who have absolutely no respect for the lakes by using their TOYS to destroy the beauty. Get rid of those running the DNR, who have no clue what is going on, no facts, nothing to substantiate any claim they make and refuse to share any research with anyone. Sounds like they are being paid off and that is what people should be looking into. The builders are also to blame, and if people are offended by the waterfowl then for heavens sake DON’T P[URCHASE ON THE LAKES you are invading their home, they are not invading yours.

    • Martin Logan

      July 20, 2012 at 7:13 pm

      Unfortunately Jo, you failed to enlighten us with any insight you may have.

      Where do you come up with this idea that people are invading swan habitat? By any accurate measure, people preceded swans in this area. People were living on our lake in the 1800′s which is 100 years before any Mute swan.

      You have no plan, no training, no schooling and no special insight.

    • AJ

      July 21, 2012 at 9:22 am

      JoAnn Ilgenfritz, how about some actual facts that are backed up by scientific evidence?

      Here’s one: The most conservative swan growth-rate estimate is 10% per year, indicating a doubling of the mute swan population every 7-8 years.

      That fact was discovered by a study which used 3 independent data sources to estimate the rate of increase of mute swans on the lower Great Lakes: aerial surveys in spring and autumn at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada 1971-2000 ; midwinter waterfowl inventory of the north shore of Lake Ontario, 1980-2000; and Christmas Bird Counts on both the United States and Canadian shores of the lakes, 1980-2000.

      Information source: Rapid increase in the lower Great Lakes population of feral mute swans: a review and a recommendation. Wildlife Society, Washington, DC, ETATS-UNIS (1973-2006). Wildlife Society bulletin. 2003, vol. 31, no2, pp. 407-416 [10 page(s) (article)] ISSN 0091-7648

      Now in my opinion, the doubling of the swan population every 7-8 years explains why there are so many swans currently on Michigan’s inland lakes. It also suggests that relatively quickly there are going to be even more swans if something isn’t done to reduce their numbers.

      So as with Michigan’s deer population, the population of swans needs to be managed in order to control their numbers and ensure that they don’t negatively impact the environment as they continue to reproduce. Now whether that means killing them or not, I’m not in a professional position to say, but obviously their populations can’t be allowed to expand indefinitely. Eventually some of them will likely have to be removed in one way or another.

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