Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz proposes bill to save mute swans in the area

A Brooklyn assemblyman is fighting to save mute swans after the state announced plans to eliminate the birds from the area. The state says the mute swan that swims freely in Brooklyn is actually harmful

News 12 Staff

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Jun 7, 2014, 3:56 AM

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Updated 3,750 days ago

A Brooklyn assemblyman is fighting to save mute swans after the state announced plans to eliminate the birds from the area.

The state says the mute swan that swims freely in Brooklyn is actually harmful to people and nature.

Last December, the Department of Environmental Conservation created a plan to eliminate them from New York by 2025. Currently, there are more than 2,000 mute swans in the state.

The DEC says the swans are not native to the area and can cause problems like aggressive behavior toward people, the destruction of underwater plants and damage to water quality.

Two weeks ago, the Assembly passed a bill introduced by Brooklyn Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz that would save the birds.

Cymbrowitz says that the swans belong here. He says he hopes the Senate passes the bill and that the governor signs it.

In the meantime, the DEC says it is currently revising its previous plan and hopes to have a new version out soon.