MADISON, Wis. -- The Department of Natural Resources Board voted on Wednesday to allow the DNR continue killing mute swans and to let some people adopt the swans.

The board voted unanimously on Wednesday to allow some vocal southeastern counties with mute swans to do a one-time adoption of those swans to protect them.

All other mute swans will continue to be killed, WISC-TV reported.

The board voted following a packed public hearing in which many speakers refuted the DNR's reasoning for eliminating the species. Speakers argued there is no proof that the mute swans harm vegetation, animals, birds or people.

The board's vote allows the DNR to keep shooting mute swans and destroying their eggs. But it also lets residents in Waukesha, Racine and Kenosha counties apply for permits for one year to protect some of the swans by essentially adopting them.

Some said adopting the swans is a ridiculous idea, but the DNR said the alternative is to kill the swans.

"In effect what this is is the death penalty for the mute swan without having not only beyond a reasonable doubt, because let's face it, it's a bird. We don't even have a scintilla of actual factual evidence here.," said Patricia Kujawa, who lives on a lake with mute swans in Waukesha County.

Jean Jacobson, of the Town of Norway Board, disputed the DNR's reasoning to eliminate the swans.

"To say that they're not native and say that's the reason for the destruction of the mute swan doesn't make sense to many of us. And as you've read in information I gave to you, horses are not native to this country; cattle are not native to this country," Jacobson said.

The DNR said the bird, which is slightly larger than the black-billed Trumpeter swan, is an invasive, non-native species brought over from Europe in the mid 1800s.

But some speakers on Wednesday said there is new evidence the bird is native and that there is no evidence the mute swan does serious damage to habitats.