LAKELAND, Fla. — It's that time of year again — Lakeland Parks & Rec employees climbed into boats armed with nets and cages and gently scooped and corraled Lake Morton's famous swans so they could get a health check-up.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 marked the 43rd Annual Swan Roundup. The annual event got underway around 7 a.m. The Lakeland Parks Division took their boats on the lake and began gathering swans in order to be examined by My Pet's Animal Hospital on Wednesday.
The yearly roundup started back in 1980 and gives the city a chance to monitor the swans' health and the vitality of the population. If you didn't know, the Lake Morton swans have a royal connection.
The late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom gifted the original swans of Lake Morton back in 1957. Since then, the population has become quite abundant, even prompting an occasional swan sale to keep the population under control.
The birds were first cared for by veterinarian "Swanvet" W.G. Gardner, followed by Dr. Patricia Mattson. After that, My Pet's Animal Hospital has provided its expertise for Lakeland's swan flock, the city of Lakeland says.
The swan story dates back to 1926 when Lakeland established a Swan Department to oversee about 20 swans living in the city. The birds are said to have arrived through seasonal residents who wanted them as pets for their winter homes.
The swans thrived for years in local bodies of water including Beulah, Bonny, Hollingsworth, Hunter, Mirror, Wire and especially Lake Morton, according to the city. But by 1954, the last bird had passed, leaving Lakeland swan-less.
For three years, locals worked to fill the swan void to no avail. That was until one Lakeland resident, who the city says was living in England at the time, decided to take the matter straight to the top.
If you didn't know, the royal family actually owns all the unclaimed swans in England. The swan population is tallied each year in an event called "Swan Upping."
The queen reportedly responded to the resident's request by donating a mated pair of swans from her royal flock.
After hitting a few roadblocks, like an oil spill along the Thames River and a stay in New Jersey, the city says the swans arrived at Drane Field Airport, now Lakeland Linder International Airport, on Feb. 8, 1957.
The birds were met with pomp and circumstance by the mayor, city manager, and the president of the chamber of commerce before traveling by motorcade to Lake Morton, where they were released.
According to the city, the male swan, unfortunately, passed before the two could mate. But, the female was taken to a swannery where she selected a commoner as her mate and thus began Lakeland's swan population that we know today.
10 Tampa Bay's Andrea Chu contributed to this report.