Annual Swan Roundup
The 33rd Annual Swan Roundup in Lakeland, Florida went off without a hitch on October 22nd.
Lakeland boasts 38 large lakes with some great fishing. Lakeland also boasts over 70 very unique residents inhabiting these lakes - the descendants of Royal Swans!
Large swans graced the lakes of Lakeland from the 1920's to 1954 when they all but disappeared, eradicated by alligators and other predators. The residents of Lakeland were not happy the large waterfowl were gone. So a concerned resident of Lakeland who was living in England had an idea and wrote to the Queen of England asking permission to import 2 Mute swans from England to start a new population of swans in Lakeland. The Royal Family agreed to the request donating 2 swans. In 1957 the City of Lakeland paid the $300 cost to capture and safely transport the swans to America.
Today the swans reside on Lake Morton and are the city's official logo; Lakeland is known as the "City of Swans." You will find swan statues all over Lakeland along with swan paddle boats on their lakes. It's all about the swan in Lakeland.
The swans have prospered due to the ongoing efforts of county officials to keep them healthy and protected from predators. Annually city workers get in their boats and use large nets to round up the swans for their annual exams and immunizations. The swans are so dear to the residents hearts that not only do they feed them and provide them with shelter and breeding pens, they also have them under 24 hour surveillance by cameras mounted around the lake. Don't mess with Lakelands swans!
It's funny, this same species of swan has been called a pest in other parts of the country and even eradicated to control their populations. As far as we know, Connecticut is the only other place in this country that protects the mute swan.
Mute Swans feed on aquatic vegetation and if large numbers of them inhabit an area, they can destroy habitat for crabs, fish and other species that depend on the vegetation. They are also aggressive towards other waterfowl and man. Again, don't mess with the Mute swan!
New story about this years roundup event
