New York Environmentalists Propose Mass Killings of Invasive Swan Species

Attentiveness toward animals, nature, climate, and all other wonderful aspects of our Earth have increased over the past 30 years, with environmentalists and scientists leading the charge. But now, a conflicting development is occurring in New York State.

Environmentalists have proposed that New York State should orchestrate mass killings of mute swans, and legislators are in opposition of the proposition in what has become real-life role reversal.

The New York Times reported that the Department of Environmental Conservation's proposal to kill New York's remaining 2,200 mute swans by 2025 has been delayed for another two years, thanks to Senator Tony Avella. Why are both sides considering efforts they regularly wouldn't consider?

Environmentalists consider these swans a "prohibitive invasive species" because they diminish wetlands, displace native birds, are aggressive towards humans and disrupt local aviation. These are four pretty considerable reasons to request depopulation or relocation efforts.

Yet Senator Avella along with other legislators and politicians have questioned this evidence. Writer Hugh Raffles' Op-Ed article in the New York Times has perhaps helped the legislators' argument. In his article, Raffles claimed that these swans are defensive and not aggressive, due to human encroachment of their nests and babies. Additionally, the swans only displace .5% of New York's waterfowl (the "native birds" earlier discussed), which has a smaller than minute effect on the state's ecosystem.

New York State and Raffles cite that the environmentalists' plan is based on a D.E.C. study that provides "inconclusive science." The authors of this study allude to the growing numbers of swans in Michigan and Chesapeake Bay, yet the swan population in New York is small and not increasing. However, the environmentalists are arguing against their overall stance on sustaining the environment. And if they believe that these swans are detrimental towards other aspects of nature, then this might remain an issue in the coming years.

For now, the proposal will be delayed for another two years, but the environmentalists seek an execution of the proposal by 2025. To read more about the swan debate, visit this University Herald article.