DEC revises mute swan population control plan

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has revised a plan to control the mute swan population. Last December, the DEC released the draft of a plan that focused on capturing and euthanizing

News 12 Staff

Mar 12, 2015, 2:25 AM

Updated 3,501 days ago

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The state Department of Environmental Conservation has revised a plan to control the mute swan population.
Last December, the DEC released the draft of a plan that focused on capturing and euthanizing the swans. After public outcry and animal rights advocates denouncing the plan, it was dropped.
According to the revised draft plan, control options will include "nest destruction, coating eggs with corn oil, capture and placement of swans, shooting of free-ranging swans and live capture and euthanasia."
Gary Rogers, from the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, calls the plan "poor" and says the DEC can do much better.
"There are humane ways to reduce the population without saying 'we are going to go out and shoot them,'" said Rogers.
The public has until April 24 to comment on the DEC's revised draft plan.