The Mute Swan killings are the largest hoax ever perpetuated on the U.S. taxpayer. In 2014, world renowned swan and wetland habitat specialists met at the International Swan Symposium. These international specialists disputed the misrepresentations by U.S. and state wildlife officials regarding Mute Swans.

1. Mute Swans are no more aggressive than any other wildlife species in protecting their families and habitat.

2. Mute Swans DO NOT displace other species as they actually enhance biodiversity by helping feed those species that might not be able to reach below the surface for sub-aquatic vegetation and other macrophytes.

3. Mute Swans DO NOT deplete sub-aquatic vegetation and eat approximately 8 lbs of sub-aquatic vegetation daily. A Trumpeter Swan cygnet eats twice the amount that an adult Mute Swan eats and was readily admitted by U.S. and state wildlife officials.

4. Scientists are re-evaluating the information regarding the nativeness of Mute Swans in the U.S. as fossils have been found in the U.S. and the former presence of land bridges which enhanced the migration of various species throughout prehistoric times.

5. Mute Swans are not detrimental to the habitat, but instead are actually a Sentinel species indicating to the presence of harmful microorganisms and heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury.

Had the Michigan DNR (whose officials admitted at the swan symposium that they had no research indicating the aggressiveness or detriment to the habitat) not been so adamant about killing Mute Swans, the swans may have indicated the problems in the Flint River and the resulting deaths and poisonings may have been prevented. Yet, Michigan DNR and other wildlife entities continue to spread false information and label the Mute Swans as invasive so that uninformed taxpayers will buy into the killing program, thus eradicating and early warning system (Mute Swans).

In Sweden, in an area smaller than Michigan, there are 10,000 Mute Swans. If one swan dies or looks sick, it is mandated by Swedish law that biologists immediately respond to the area as the deem the Mute Swan a crucial Sentinel/indicator species.

6. U.S. and state wildlife officials admitted that there HAS NEVER been an environmental impact assessment regarding Mute Swans in the U.S.

7. U.S. and state wildlife officials admitted that there HAS NEVER been a collaborative systemic count of Mute Swans in the U.S. This means that all of the false accounts (by wildlife officials) of Mute Swans increasing exponentially in population is just that, false.

8. The major point of killing Mute Swans is to eradicate these swans so that open habitats become available for the placement of the larger Trumpeter Swans for Trophy Waterfowl hunting purposes. Trophy Waterfowl permits are more expensive and can increase decreasing wildlife budgets. U.S. and state wildlife officials admitted at the Swan Symposium that they had taken Trumpeter Swans eggs from Alaska, incubated them in Milwaukee Zoo and then began placing them in areas that they have never before existed. This placement in Yellowstone was not successful as the Trumpeter Swans began diminishing once the Federal Park officials stopped feeding them supplementally. This means that the young birds raised in a captive setting did not know how to find food, depleted the native food resources because it was not used to having these swans in the area and the birds did not know how to protect themselves from predators.

9. Michigan DNR officials admitted that the cost of this killing/introduction swan program costs to Michigan taxpayers: US Agriculture paid $100,000-125,000 to control the Mute Swan species. Not counting staff Michigan DNR $25,000. No cost of reintroduction was provided. They also noted that this program was going to run out of funding in the next few years.

There are many more such admissions/references made by federal and state wildlife officials during the Swan Symposium that show the Mute Swans are and were never a problem, but rather a problem that was created to form a solution (killing) so that Trumpeter Swans could be introduced throughout the U.S. for Trophy Waterfowl hunting. On another note, these same federal and state wildlife officials stated that hunting was not the purpose, yet, hunting began last year in Minnesota by Native Americans. Wildlife biologists were then immediately asked if the Trumpeter numbers were adequate to open hunting to the public. Additionally, hunting began in other states.

As far as Mute Swan numbers, yes, they are being reduced by state and federal wildlife agencies in order to bring back another species of swan, the Trumpeter Swans. Michigan DNR wants the total eradication of all Mute Swans by 2030. Again, this is at the cost of taxpayer monies and is now cited as being unsustainable. What a waste of money considering other real problems in Michigan habitats that could be addressed with the wasted monies.

We may never know how many Mute Swans have been eradicated by state and federal wildlife agencies, how many presently exist and what the previous populations were as we now know there has never been any count in the U.S.

Attempts to gain such information through Freedom of Information Acts (FOIA) has been very difficult due to wildlife officials redacting/hiding and placing obstacles in the way of transparency.

We hope this information is of benefit. The Regal Swan