Karen Stamper of Walled Lake has gathered more than 2,650 signatures on an online petition at change.org that asks DNR officials and Gov. Rick Snyder to stop killing mute swans.
The Humane Society of the United States has joined the effort, saying the DNR should stop mute swan killings and develop a humane management plan.
The DNR's position, which is backed by other state wildlife agencies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services and various conservation groups, is that mute swans are an invasive, nonnative species with a destructive appetite for delicate aquatic vegetation. The department says the mute swan population is growing exponentially and needs to be brought under control.
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Detroit Free Press
