Friday, April 20, 2007

Trumpeter Swans Released in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

As reported in this release from the National Park Service (excerpt):
In partnership with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has announced that eight young trumpeter swans were released in the park during the summer of 2006. The eight were released together into one of the wetland areas within the Lakeshore and it is hoped that they will finish maturing and imprint on the area before migrating south for the winter. . . .

The swans were reared by the Kellog Bird Sanctuary and were picked up and delivered by a biologist with the Little River Band.
The release further notes that, by 2005, 728 Trumpeters Swans had been re-introduced into the State of Michigan.

As part of this plan to "re-establish" Trumpeter Swans to a portion of their supposed historic native range, I wonder if there are any plans to remove the nonnative and invasive Mute Swans (.pdf) that are common year-round residents and breeders on the Lakeshore.