Trappers should know this...

[mike rossi]

One reason biologists justify trapping is the protection of ground nesting birds, not just game birds like turkeys, but for threatened and endanger species. If NY decides an invasive species is more important than native imperiled species, how will they rate the activity of trapping?

 

One imperiled bird, although helped by trapping, is also impacted by BOTH mute swans and trapping. The King Rail. Biologists work to reduce threats and impacts. Nobody suggested banning legholds for muskrats to conserve King Rails, but if Queens NY decides which threat to reduce, were is the law going?

 

Muskrat populations are going down and mute swan populations are going up and colonizing new areas. It is unlikely that mute swans are the causative factor for the decline in muskrats, but they are not helping the situation either, just as they compromise other native species.

 

Look at the images below, they are a graphical representation of what is written above. if you have not contacted Governor Cuomo about the mute swan legislation, do so before Midnight Wednesday December 17, 2014. Politely request that Governor Cuomo VETOES the "Tony Avella Mute Swan Bill" so that conservation and conservation funding does not get UNDERMINDED.

 

 

[mike rossi]

Here, this will take you 5 seconds...

 

Open this link by either clicking on it or pasting it in your browser:

http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact

 

Then paste one of the following letters into the text box of the contact form. Fill out the rest of the contact form, press enter and you are done…

 

Dear Governor Cuomo,

I urge you to VETO senate bill 065889-A and assembly bill 08770-A. The conservation of wildlife and their habitats need to be done cooperatively across state and national boundaries. The cooperation of NY was anticipated by the Atlantic Flyway Council in the effort to eradicate mute swans. Lack of cooperation would undermine the conservation of native migratory wildlife as well as the states native non-migratory wildlife and wetland habitats. Migratory wildlife is a shared resource, and mute swans impact this resource and their wetland habitats. It would not be responsible for the state or any section of the state to either harbor mute swans or to become a source habitat from which mute swans hatched and protected in NY spread across state or national boundaries. Likewise it would not be responsible to fail to protect native wildlife and wetland habitats within NY.

 

Dear Governor Cuomo,

I urge you to VETO senate bill 065889-A and assembly bill 08770-A to avoid undermining  conservation and conservation funding.

[martin]

We have mute swans on our pond. Every year they kill the baby ducks. I try to save them, but they are just way to aggressive. Cannot do anything do fix it to. Live around other people. 

[mike rossi]

We have mute swans on our pond. Every year they kill the baby ducks. I try to save them, but they are just way to aggressive. Cannot do anything do fix it to. Live around other people. 

 

You should report this to the DEC. They have the authority to remove them with landowner permission, even if the landowner is a municipality, they need permission, On DEC owned lands, they can control them. The DEC wanted to change that and make other improvements to how they control them but the plan was stopped in its tracks - two fold. First during public review and then by this legislation, provided it passes.

 

You should email the Governor right now - the decision will happen by tomorrow  Wednesday (letting it expire is also a decision). Tell him about your personal experience with these birds on your pond. If you have pictures or videos of this, send them along. In the future always document these things on film or video  if possible and ALWAYS report them to the DEC. Since both the mute swans and the native birds will be there next spring, you might call the regional DEC office, ask for the wildlife unit, and report the location so they can act before next nesting period.

[Ford]

Done.