Pressure on DEC to kill swan-killing plan
By Richard Moody
Sen. Tony Avella is pushing for support for his bill to place a moratorium on the state Department of Conservation's plans to control the mute swan population in the state; a species the agency says is invasive and dangerous to habitats in New York.
The DEC has classified the mute swan as an invasive species in New York and its original plan was to eliminate the mute swans from the state through hunting, destruction of nests and the destruction of eggs by poking holes in them or covering them in oil.
The mute swan was introduced to New York from Europe in the late 1800s and their numbers have grown to roughly 2,200 birds statewide, according to the DEC. The environmental agency says the mute swans create dangerous competition over food for non-invasive fowl in New York. And because they are aggressive protectors of their nests and produce fecal matter with high levels of E coli, mute swans are a danger to the public, according to the DEC. Since first announcing their plans, the DEC has extended the public comment period for the proposal and has suggested other management policies.
"I never heard of an agency deciding to make an entire species extinct until now," Avella said. "This is an absolute disgrace."
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-03-24-87299.113122-Pressure-on-DEC-to-kill-swankilling-plan.html
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