Overview

• A bill in the California State Senate would let landowners and licensed hunters shoot non-native mute swans through 2030 to curb their rapidly growing population.
• State waterfowl biologists reported a jump from about 1,150 mute swans in 2022 to over 12,000 this spring, raising concerns about displacement of native birds and destruction of aquatic vegetation.
• The proposal draws on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s $13 million nutria-control campaign as an operational model for invasive-species eradication.
• No formal opposition has been filed in the Legislature, but comparable culling efforts on the U.S. East Coast triggered intense resistance from anti-hunting activists.
• Lobbyists and conservation groups warn that if action is delayed, swan numbers may exceed manageable levels, while animal-welfare advocates contend the environmental harm is overstated and oppose lethal measures.