The Manlius cygnets have returned to their pond following the killing and eating of their mother Faye over Memorial Day Weekend. But, it wasn't a happy family reunion.
Manlius Mayor Paul Whorrall said after the cygnets were reintroduced to the pond, father Manny went after one of them and had to be removed from the pond.
"We were pretty much aware that he probably wasn't going to accept them," Whorrall said. "That's kind of the way swans are. They're really close-knit until they're separated, then it's hard to get them back together."
Manny is now in the care of the village's swan caretaker who later plans to bring him down to Pennsylvania. But, the future of the cygnets staying in the village is up in the air.
Mute swans are an invasive species and the State Department of Environmental Conservation says Manlius will have to reapply for a license to keep them past 2025. As he sat in his office decked out with art depicting the Village swans, Whorrall said he doesn't necessarily agree with everything the DEC says, saying they'll continue to do what's best for the Village.
"Those swans were victimized by some ruthless individuals that had nothing better to do," Whorrall said. "If you had a dog in your yard that was fenced in and somebody jumped over the fence and killed your dog, you're not going to tell those people they can't have another dog. No one person or no individuals or group of people are going to tell somebody how to run their lives."
The Village of Manlius has had mute swans for more than 100 years.
"We've watched them grow up over the years and have the cygnets and when they get a certain age we take them out of the pond and they go somewhere else," Whorrall said. "It's part of our village here, our community. We're going to do what's right. I think the DEC will work with us."
Whorral said they are increasing security measures around the pond with added cameras and lighting as well as a curfew for walking around the back of the pond at night.
