Aggressive swans threaten White Lake ecology | News

WHITEHALL, Mich. (WZZM) - Wildlife experts say the only way to reduce the population of Mute Swans on White Lake is hunt and kill them.

"The current proposal would be to shoot them," says Muskegon Conservation District Executive Director Jeff Auch. "Take out the adult individuals."

Auch says the Mute Swans are a non-native species brought to Michigan in the early 1900s to swim in the ponds of rich people.

Now there are thousands of the birds in the state.

The swans are territorial and so aggressive Auch says they are driving out other birds and wildlife.

"Grabbing them, shaking them and killing them," he says.

But the plan to reduce the swan population on the northern Muskegon County lake by Whitehall is on hold.

Some residents have questions about the necessity and wonder if there are options to shooting the birds.

"I guess the animal person in me wonders if there isn't some other way to thin out the population," says White Lake resident Kim Springer. "I just cringe at shooting them."

"They are so beautiful and peaceful and everything," adds White Lake resident Mark Switanowski. "I just don't know."

Muskegon Conservation District Director Auch says relocating the swans just transfers the problem to someplace else.

Destroying their nests is not effective.

He says there is only one way to reduce the population.

"To shoot them," he says. "Cull them."

"If the only way to get rid of them is to kill them, then they have to do that," agrees White Lake resident Danell Aerts. "I love watching the swans but, if there are too many, if they are overtaking everything, they have got to go."

The Conservation District is planning five public hearings before rescheduling the swan hunt.