Unfortunately, you cannot relocate them without you receiving a fine and the birds killed. The Ohio DNR is perpetuating the same misrepresentations about the Mute Swans as other state and federal wildlife officials so that the taxpayer will go along with their plan.

These wildlife officials falsely state that the Mute Swans are invasive and overly aggressive. However, scientific research shows that both of these points are false. In fact wildlife officials themselves state that the Mute Swans are actually a Sentinel species that alert scientists to problems in the environment such as heavy metals and harmful microorganisms. If the Michigan DNR has not been so adamant about killing the Mute Swans in Michigan may have prevented the fiasco in Flint with citizens being poisoned by harmful heavy metals and microorganisms. The same could happen in Ohio if taxpayers do not stop the plan.

The reason behind the killings at taxpayer expense is that the wildlife officials are emptying the habitats of the Mute Swans so they can introduce (at taxpayer expense), the larger Trumpeter Swans for Trophy Waterfowl hunting purposes. Wildlife officials also readily admit that the Trumpeters are much more defensive than the Mute Swans.

If you try to remove the Mute Swans or bring their presence known to the ODNR, they will be killed and your waterway will be targeted to introduce the larger Trumpeters which you will not be able to remove for any reason. The Regal Swan