A young male mute swan will be picked from the bunch to travel to Melbourne.
A YOUNG Northam mute swan’s future will be decided tonight, with council determining whether a male cygnet will be sent to Melbourne Zoo to participate in a breeding program.
The Melbourne Zoo approached the shire earlier this year and has agreed to cover all transport, crating and document costs to move the animal to its new Eastern States home.
In return for using the bird for breeding purposes for an indefinite period, the zoo has agreed to send some of the resulting offspring back with their father.
However, the whole operation will hang on the results of DNA testing done on the cygnet, which will determine whether it is fit for breeding.
If so, the zoo’s promise to return a portion of the offspring to Western Australia will mean a significant boost to the Northam white swan population and an improvement and diversification of the white swan gene pool in WA.
