Did you know that swans are considered an invasive species in the State of New Jersey?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, swans destroy indigenous plants, spread disease, collide with aircraft and compete with native waterfowl.
But wait, there’s more; they are considered a nuisance in public parks and other areas because of their highly abundant fecal droppings and aggressiveness towards people.
The penalty for an aggressive swan? Death.
Alfie, a mute swan who’s a local fixture in Seawood Harbor, a lagoon community that sits where the Kettle Creek spills into Barnegat Bay in New Jersey, was set to be euthanized by federal authorities after a complaint that a person riding a jet ski hit a docked boat in the neighborhood after the swan aggressively chased him.
Alfie, a swan who did not appreciate jet skiers and had been facing the death penalty, has been rescued after officials found the bird entangled in fish wire. But, now what? https://t.co/jfU8asRusR
— Asbury Park Press (@AsburyParkPress) July 11, 2021
U.S. Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Tanya Espinosa told the New York Times that they found the swan had attacked jet skiers multiple times after a thorough investigation.
Time was running out for Alfie, but in a stroke of good luck, after Tropical Storm Elsa swept through the region on Friday, the bird was found entangled in fish wire and was rescued by the Popcorn Animal refuge.
Alfie is beloved by many in our community. Our office has been working with both NJDEP & USDA to find a solution to prevent him from being euthanized. We are ecstatic that the USDA & Popcorn Park were able to work with us to successfully save Alfie. https://t.co/LoVeceshKU
— Sen. Jim Holzapfel (@jimholzapfel) July 10, 2021
Local residents who had been campaigning to save the swan were grateful for the last-minute reprieve.
So what happens next? According to John Bergmann, the park’s director, Alife can’t be released back into the wild, so the park might search for another rescue to take him.
