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Wildlife officials are always keeping an eye out for the arrival of invasive species in the areas they oversee. They can come in many shapes and forms, and California has essentially decided to declare war on the swans that have become an issue the state can no longer ignore.
The Earth itself has weathered a truly countless number of changes to the ecosystem since it started spinning over 4.5 billion years ago, but the same cannot be said for the flora and fauna that can be impacted by seemingly minor shifts that can end up having massive repercussions.
The United States has been the home to plenty of case studies concerning invasive species with the potential to throw things out of whack, ranging from the pythons that have slowly but surely invaded the Everglades to the so-called “murder hornets” that were eradicated last year after sparking a bit of a panic in the Pacific Northwest.
You might not think swans would get lumped in with those animals, but that is the case in one state that is giving hunters the green light to solve its growing problem.
California is battling back against swans with a new law targeting the invasive species
The white bird that probably jumps to mind when you read the word “swan” is likely a mute swan, which is native to Europe and Asia but was introduced to North America in the 1800s by private breeders who transported them across the Atlantic Ocean to be displayed at zoos and the homes of rich people who wanted to flex their wealth.
Some of those birds eventually managed to make their way into the wild and began breeding, and as of 2023, the population had grown to an estimated size of around 20,000 in the United States (which is also home to two native swan species: the trumpeter and the tundra).
Mute swans eventually became a growing problem due to their affinity for the submerged aquatic vegetation that comprises the bulk of their diet, which is detrimental to the other animals that rely on those plants for food and shelter. They’re also aggressively territorial, with a reputation for disrupting the nesting sites of other birds and attacking not just animals but people as well.
California boasted around 1,500 mute swans in 2022, but that number had ballooned to more than 12,000 as of earlier this year. As a result, the Los Angeles Times reports lawmakers have passed a measure that will allow anyone with a hunting license to target them year-round once 2026 rolls around, and homeowners and renters are also permitted to cull them on their property.
The legislation will remain in effect until the start of 2031, so we’ll have to wait and see if it has its desired impact. If you’re curious, you can eat swan meat, although hunting one yourself is really the only way to get your hands on it.