Florida city sells excess swans after Queen Elizabeth's gift leads to overpopulation

Overcrowding meant less space for geese and ducks, officials say

Swans at Lake Morton, Lakeland, Florida, following an annual round-up to check their health (AP)

A Florida city has sold off three dozen swans to ease an overpopulation crisis.

Lakeland’s signature swans swamped the city, more than 60 years after Queen Elizabeth II gifted it a pair of the birds.

Lakeland, situated just east of Tampa, has a swan as its symbol.

In the 1950s, a Lakeland native living in England wrote to the monarch asking if she could help, after the flock which had been living there was devoured by alligators and dogs.

A sympathetic Queen Elizabeth sent two royal swans from her own flock, and they arrived on 7 February 1957.

However, six decades and much breeding later, 86 of the waterbirds now live in Lakeland, exceeding the city’s ability to look after them.

Officials have decided to reduce the flock to 50, selling the remainder in pairs for $400 (£310).

A city spokesperson told the PA news agency: "We needed to get the population in check for the size of the lake they are on. We also have a large number of ducks, geese and other waterfowl that call Lake Morton home."

Because of the popularity of the swans, they held a lottery to decide who would get to purchase a pair. There were 80 registrants, with 18 successful buyers chosen.

The money raised will go back into the city's swan fund, to help care for the birds.

Additional reporting by Press Association