Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - The mute swan situation was discussed by Indiana Department of Natural Resources officials, elected officials and citizens at the North Webster Community Center Wednesday.
Telephone calls and petitions to the IDNR and State Sen. Robert Meeks on the heels of several swan shootings on Lake Wawasee and Backwater Lake in Tippecanoe Township led to the IDNR-sponsored public meeting.
Following a presentation by Fish and Wildlife biologist Adam Phelps, IDNR Director Kyle Hupfer fielded questions and comments by more than 150 people who attended the meeting.
Phelps said mute swans are invasive (out-competing native species) and exotic (not originally from this continent). Protected under federal statute until a couple of years ago, Indiana is in the process of establishing policies regarding the mute swan population.
An emergency order generated by the Natural Resources Commission and adopted by the IDNR allowed the birds to be killed by property owners or licensed nuisance wild animal control operators to kill mute swans that are causing, or threatening to cause, damage to property, or that are posing a health or safety threat to persons or domestic animals. The order expired May 18.
Currently, there are no rules in place regarding the birds. Hupfer indicated rules would be crafted "in a few weeks" pending the outcome of Wednesday's meeting and socio-economic issues would be weighed accordingly.
He said there are anywhere from 500 to 600 mute swans in Indiana. The majority of them have settled in the top third of the state because of the many lakes here.
"How much of this concern is based on how beautiful swans are? Canadian geese were beautiful a few years ago," he said to general laughter. "The swans present a very clear ecological problem. I have a very specific duty to protect our pristine natural resources."
He explained the IDNR wants to be proactive in controlling the mute swan population and not let them breed in the wild to the point where they devastate any wetlands area or drive out native species.
He referred to one incident where a mute swan reportedly held a young girl underwater for a few seconds while she was swimming in a Steuben County lake.
"But we're not doing this because of the attacks," Hupfer said.
Jimmerson Lake residents at the meeting said the mute swans there are being provoked by youths on personal watercraft who continually harass, beat and taunt the nesting birds.
One woman said the abuse of the swans has been reported and conservation officers have been given the youths' names and addresses. Nothing has been done to stop their actions.
Hupfer advised the woman to call him the next time it happens. There are fines for harassing wildlife.
While there were a couple of impassioned pleas to just leave the animals alone because they are doing no observable harm, most of the people made suggestions about the inevitable control of the birds.
Members of the audience:
• Suggested only conservation officers "take" the birds.
• Asked for a lake-to-lake study instead of blanket legislation.
• Asked that any kind of hunting be done after Labor Day and prior to Memorial Day.
• Asked that rules be established regarding the owning, breeding and selling of mute swans.
• Heard there have been no reports of damage to any lake or wetlands area.
Sen. Meeks requested people continue to call or e-mail him with their comments and concerns.
Also present were State Reps. David Wolkins and Bill Rupple.
