HANOI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Facing objections from experts, Vietnam's Hanoi capital has stopped its pilot program to raise Belgium swans in the city's iconic Hoan Kiem Lake.

The birds are part of a pilot project by the Hanoi Sewage and Water Drainage Company, with the aim to beautify the 12-hectare lake and surrounding area.

"Many experts considered that raising the creature is not suitable to the lake's history" which has long been associated with the legend of a centuries-old turtle, local VnExpress online newspaper on Tuesday quoted Vo Tien Hung, general director of the company as saying.

The Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Turtle Lake or Sword Lake, was inspired by a legend where a golden turtle god returned to reclaim a sword that had been given to a Vietnamese king.

A rare giant turtle loved by many Hanoians died in the lake in January 2016.

The imported swans are now raised in another lake named Thien Quang in Hanoi.