Happy Ending For Brick Swan That Was To Be Euthanized

BRICK, NJ — A male mute swan that was set to be euthanized because federal authorities had deemed it aggressive has escaped the death sentence, purely by accident.

Alfie, the swan who residents of Seawood Harbor have been fighting to save after wildlife officials deemed him aggressive, has been moved to Popcorn Park Animal Refuge for treatment after he got tangled in fishing line.

Irene Almeida, who spearheaded the fight to save Alfie, said Popcorn Park workers stepped in after the swan was seen with fishing line tangled around its beak. The swan was moved on Friday, the same day that officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said plans to euthanize the swan were still moving forward.

Alfie's rescue because of the fishing line entanglement first was reported by the New York Times.

While residents believed the swan moved to Popcorn Park was Alfie, they weren't fully sure on Friday. On Saturday, however, they were more certain after seeing the rest of the swan family without the male.

"We’re now 90 percent sure that it was Alfie because he didn’t show up with his family this morning," Almeida said by email Saturday night. "His family is there, but he’s not. He never misses the morning stretch."

The conflict over the swan ramped up earlier this summer, when some residents claimed the bird was behaving aggressively toward people riding jetskis. Those claims accelerated, Almeida said, after an incident where a person riding a jetski hit a docked boat in the neighborhood and allegedly claimed the swan chased him, she said.

Almeida, who along with her husband has lived in Seawood Harbor since 2004, said she and her husband jetski in the area and have never had an issue with the mated pair of mute swans that frequented the lagoon community that sits where the Kettle Creek spills into Barnegat Bay.

Seawood Harbor is adjacent to part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses more than 47,00o acres of coastal habitat from Brick to Atlantic City and is part of the Atlantic Flyway, an important part of the path followed by migratory birds.

"We paddle by them on our kayaks without issue," said BJ Dowlen, who lives in the nearby Havens Cove neighborhood. "They will stand on guard and hiss if the water currents move us, but they’re protecting their babies."

"We went kayaking Sunday afternoon and boat drivers were crazy, they squeezed us to the point where we were only a few feet away from the swans," Dowlen said. "The male gave us a warning hiss, but took no other action."

Almeida said the problem is newer residents who have antagonized the swans, including people on jetskis who ignore the no-wake zone rules.

Complaints about the mute swan, however, were sent to New Jersey wildlife officials, who referred them to the USDA.

"Protecting the public from aggressive wildlife throughout New Jersey is a key responsibility of the NJDEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and its partners like the U.S. Department of Agriculture," said Caryn Shinske, a spokesperson for the state Department of Environmental Protection. "In furtherance of this duty, the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has an agreement with USDA whereby it defers decisions and actions regarding the management of certain aggressive wildlife species, including mute swans, to the USDA."

Mute swans are not native to New Jersey; they were brought to the United States in the 1850s from Europe as an ornamental addition to parks and estates, according to Audubon.org.

Mute swans "can behave aggressively and pose a danger to public safety," Shinske said. "In the case of the swan in Brick Township, Ocean County, the USDA was notified about a swan acting aggressively and sent inspectors out to observe the area."

"USDA has conducted several site visits to assess the situation regarding the mute swan," said Tanya Espinosa, a spokesperson for the USDA. "During one of the visits, the swan was seen attacking a jet ski multiple times. Due to this and previous aggressive behavior, it is recommended that the swan be removed for the health and safety of neighborhood residents."

"While we understand that removal of an animal is difficult for people, in situations where aggressive animals are documented, removal may occur to protect health and safety. We also understand that it may be difficult for people to see an animal removed when they have not experienced the aggression themselves, however, that does not negate the fact that aggression has occurred," she said last week.

Espinosa also said residents have been feeding the swans and other wildlife, which in addition to being a violation of Brick Township ordinances, exacerbates the issues with the swans, because they look for handouts instead of feeding on their normal diet.

Though the Almeidas and others, including Mayor John G. Ducey and 10th District legislators Sen. Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Gregory McGuckin and John Catalano, had lobbied both the USDA and officials with the state Division of Fish and Wildlife to allow the swan to be moved to Popcorn Park, officials with both the USDA and Fish and Wildlife held firm that the swan would be euthanized.

"The NJDEP DFW does not relocate aggressive, non-native wildlife to zoos or other private settings," Shinske said.

It was not immediately known how the USDA or Fish and Wildlife would proceed with the swan no longer being in Seawood Harbor.

Almeida said she plans to turn her energy to fighting for legislation to get the swans removed from the invasive species list, and to educating people about how to interact with the wildlife in the area, including placing signs to remind people not to harass any of the animals.

"You moved into a national wildlife preserve," Almeida said, referring to new residents who have complained about the birds. "The wildlife becomes inconvenient because you've made it inconvenient."

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