Former ISU swans became proud parents last summer.

The previous Sir Lancelot and Elaine are Iowa-native trumpeter swans who made their home on Lake LaVerne from 1995 until 1999.

Ron Andrews, wildlife research biologists with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said, “Their first litter was born in June and is just now reaching maturity.”

Andrews said all five of the cygnets that hatched have survived and will have their wings clipped to prevent them from flying off before they are ready to be released into the wild sometime next summer.

Since leaving Iowa State, the former Sir Lancelot and Elaine have been comfortably residing at a ranch in Webster City.

Andrews said he thinks it could be a possibility to get two of these trumpeter swans back at Lake Laverne to live inside the fenced-in area of the lake, while the current mute swans resided outside of the fenced area.

This could happen if the university expresses interest in getting trumpeter swans back on campus.

Brenda Van Beek, adviser for the ISU Trumpeter Swan Restoration Committee, said she would like to see the trumpeter swans back on the lake.

Van Beek has been the committee’s adviser since it began in 1994. She said she doesn’t think the university will bring trumpeter swans back on campus in the near future.

“Decision makers at the university weren’t thrilled with the way it happened the first time,” said Van Beek.

She said replacing the trumpeter swans with mute swans was considered a liability issue by the university. However, Van Beek said she doesn’t see a threat to the campus and thinks trumpeter swans should return in the future.

“The pair that we had [was] a wanderlust and they just wandered too much,” Van Beek said.

She doesn’t think this would be common with all trumpeter swans.

“The University of Massachusetts has a pair of trumpeter swans and have never had trouble with them,” Van Beek said.

Van Beek said the subject of bringing trumpeter swans back to campus has been broached several times to the committee and whether or not they take an active part in the issue this year remains to be seen.

The committee has their first meeting of the year Wednesday night and Van Beek said the committee’s stance on this subject will depend on the personality of this year’s committee.