Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Florida City Forced To Auction Off Swans After Gift From Queen Elizabeth Leads To Overpopulation

Florida City Forced To Auction Off Swans After Gift From Queen Elizabeth Leads To Overpopulation
Jonathan Brady/PA; Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images

A city in Florida has raffled off some of its swans, after the gift from the Queen led to overpopulation.

The swans were originally given to Lakeland in the 1950s after a resident living in England wrote to Queen Elizabeth asking if she would donate a pair to the city.


The swans which had been living in the city previously had all been eaten by alligators or dogs.

The swans were auctioned off in pairsThe swans were auctioned off in pairs (PA Wire/PA Images - Niall Carson)

The Queen responded by sending two royal swans from her flock to the city, which arrived on February 7, 1957.

However, the pair bred and now more than 86 live in Lakeland.

The city, which has a swan as its symbol, decided to reduce the flock to 50 so they are still able to care for the birds.

Swans were auctioned off in pairs for $400 each.

A city spokesman 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.

More from News

People Reveal The Dark Secrets They Discovered About Someone After They Died

Sometimes you never know who someone is until they're gone.

Everyone has their secrets.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jesse Watters; Hakeem Jeffries
Fox News; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jesse Watters Pathetically Tries To Burn Hakeem Jeffries With Bizarre 'Rule For Men' Rant

Fox News personality Jesse Watters was widely mocked after he criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for having recently shared a photo of himself on Instagram that appeared to be digitally altered—with the bench he was leaning against noticeably warped around his hips.

You can see Jeffries' photo below.

Keep ReadingShow less
Snoop Dogg
Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

Snoop Dogg's Puppy Instagram Breaks Internet

Snoop Dogg introduced his fans to the newest little bow-wow in his household, a puppy named Baby Boy Broadus.

The adorable small tan French bulldog made his debut on the rapper’s Instagram account on June 28th, sporting a Louis Vuitton leash and chewing on his owner’s Death Row Jacket.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
DRM News/YouTube

Trump Ripped After Going Off On Bonkers Rant About Room's Decor During Cabinet Meeting

During Tuesday's cabinet meeting while the press was in attendance, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump gave a rambling stream of consciousness speech that went all over the place before landing on paint versus gold leaf, leading people to again question the POTUS' mental acuity amid a notable cognitive decline.

In a disjointed monologue about the decor in the cabinet room, Trump said he stole a grandfather clock from Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office and chose a painting of James Polk because the frame matched the frame around his favorite President—Andrew Jackson.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Eric Adams
@ericadamsfornyc/Instagram

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Roasted After Viewers Notice Awkward Detail In His 'Morning Routine' Video

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was widely mocked after he shared a video on social media of his "morning routine," with time stamps showing his activities—only for viewers to notice that a standard black-and-white wall clock visible in part of the video showed a very different time.

Adams jumped on the latest Instagram trend this week, sharing his version of a “morning routine” video with his followers. The trend, which has already begun to fade, typically features sped-up clips of people going through their early rituals—complete with edits, ambient music, and timestamp overlays.

Keep ReadingShow less