PHOTO VIA CITY OF ORLANDO FACEBOOK PAGE
A new Change.org petition is calling on the City of Orlando to change how it manages the Lake Eola swan program, following the recent wave of swan deaths that city officials have attributed to avian influenza. The petition, “Protect Lake Eola’s Swans: A Call for Responsible Stewardship!”, is addressed to Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando City Council and argues that the current level of oversight and care is not adequate for a high-profile, city-managed population of animals in the middle of downtown.
The petition was created by Andrew and PJ Marshall, who are volunteers connected to the Lake Eola Swan Docent Program, and it states that the City of Orlando has an obligation to provide a clearer, more consistent standard of care for its swans at Lake Eola. The petition claims the birds are being exposed to preventable hazards and that the city is not doing enough to address long-term conditions that affect their health and survival – more on that soon in a separate report that we’ve been working on all week.
The petition outlines three main requests.
- First, it calls for consistent expert oversight, including avian-specific expertise, clear protocols for sick or injured swans, and faster decision-making when animals are in distress.
- Second, it calls for stronger action on trash and debris control in and around the lake, including more frequent cleanup, preventative infrastructure, enforcement against littering, and clearer public messaging to stop improper feeding.
- Third, it calls for regular, publicly accessible water-quality reporting, with clear information about contaminants, contributing factors, and an action plan with timelines to improve the condition of the lake. The last time the City of Orlando shared a Lake Quality Report for Lake Eola was in 2019.
The Marshalls plan to present the petition in-person at an upcoming City Council meeting at Orlando City Hall, on January 26.
You can click HERE to sign.
