Swans continue to fall victim to cars around lakes Morton, Mirror

Two more swans have been killed in Lakeland this week. Both black swans were run down by cars, one by Lake Morton, the other near Lake Mirror.

Lakeland's swans are known the world over, but drivers seem to pose an increasing threat for their wellbeing.

As Cynthia Young-Jennings and her husband were driving around Lakeland Morton a few nights back, they saw the vehicle in front of them hit a swan and keep going.

“I cried. I cried for days,” she told FOX 13. “It still affects me and it will probably always be with me.”

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Moments after it happened, Young-Jennings recorded cell phone video of the bird’s final moments.

In the video, she says, “I just had to watch this beautiful swan die. Please slow down.”

Video recorded after vehicle hit swans near Lake Morton

Two years ago, five swans were hit and killed by vehicles, almost one right after the other.

Afterward, the city installed warning signs and lowered the speed limit from 25 to 20 miles an hour around Lake Morton. Young-Jennings says a lot of people still exceed the speed limit.

“There is not a consistent police presence around that lake,” said Young-Jennings. “And people know it and take advantage of it.”

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After the recent swan deaths, Lakeland police launched a crackdown in the Lake Morton area. Officers handed out almost two dozen citations within a week.

City leaders say they are thinking about making another move.

“Possibly raising those crosswalks to be a little more traffic calming, if you will,” said city spokesman Kevin Cook.

Cook says that decision on whether to install raised crosswalks will be made by the city’s traffic division at some point.