Harmful Beauty

Mute swan (Fish and Wildlife photo)

For thousands of years (see Greek mythology) swans have been regarded as creatures of beauty. It therefore seems incongruous that California Fish and Wildlife has declared open season on mute swans. [bold added]

Individuals with a California hunting license will now be able to “take,” or kill, invasive mute swans starting Jan. 1, a Monday news release from the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife says. According to officials, the S-shaped bird, famously used as a symbol of beauty, elegance and grace, is an aggressive species capable of critically injuring children and pets, and must be reined in.

...Mute swans are kind of like “aquatic feral pigs,” CDFW spokesperson Melanie Weaver told SFGATE over the phone Wednesday. Despite their striking physical appearance, the birds pose a serious threat to Northern California’s marine ecosystem, and homeowners now have the authority to shoot them if they’re on their property, regardless of whether they have a license, Weaver said.

That’s because mute swans unapologetically consume up to 8 pounds of aquatic vegetation per day, destroying crucial food and habitat for native species.

In California there are restrictions against shooting wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions. For property owners to be given carte blanche to kill an animal must mean that mute swans cause harm, have no constituency, and are truly valueless.