Alberta Fish and Wildlife has laid charges in connection to an incident in which a family of Trumpeter Swans appeared to be shot at with some type of firework.
The incident was captured on video on June 17 at Crystal Lake by Grande Prairie resident Steve Kennedy.
A man can be heard yelling at a swan to “Get out of here,” then is seen aiming a firework or flare in the bird’s direction.
At the time, Kennedy said in a Facebook post that the man may have been trying to protect a family of geese from the swans.
The incident was reported and a spokesperson from Alberta Justice and Solicitor General confirms a person has been charged.
“On July 8, 2019, an individual was charged with hunting during closed season, namely, Trumpeter Swans, under section 25 {1} of the Wildlife Act,” the department said in an email to CTV News Edmonton.
The office will not provide any further information as the matter is now before the courts.
“I would hope that it would be a lesson for people in awareness that they can’t play with a sensitive species,” said local bird watcher David Rhody.
Rhody monitors a variety of bird species in Grande Prairie and reports his findings to eBird, an international online database for bird research.
He first started monitoring the swan couple on Crystal Lake last year.
They had three babies, or cygnets, which Rhody said don’t appear to have survived.
He started keeping track of the couple again in June and was worried about the five cygnets after the incident happened.
“The five little ones are still there and they’re with their parents and everything looks good,” Rhody said.
“Everybody’s really excited about these swans. I think maybe the incident has brought it even to the forefront a little bit more in people’s awareness. I’m not sure, but people are always watching those swans in any case but I think a little bit more maybe even.”
The trumpeter swan is protected by provincial and federal laws. Killing or harassing a migratory bird can result in a fine, jail time, or both.
