Home / Environment / Heatwave Swimmers Disturb Nesting Swans
Heatwave Swimmers Disturb Nesting Swans
27 May
Summary
- Swimmers disrupted swans with 12-day-old cygnets during a heatwave.
- Nature groups urged people to avoid wildlife areas during nesting season.
- Officials warned of fines and arrests for dangerous swimming.
Swimmers seeking relief from record 35C temperatures on Hampstead Heath have caused significant disturbance to nesting water birds, including swans with 12-day-old cygnets. Conservationists expressed dismay over scenes where people swam among coots, moorhens, and swans guarding their eggs and young.
The incident occurred during peak nesting season, a critical time for breeding birds. The RSPB advised swimming in authorized, lifeguarded spaces to prevent harm to wildlife, noting that disturbance can lead parents to abandon nests, endangering eggs and chicks.
Officials from the City of London Corporation condemned the swimmers' actions as "utterly appalling," emphasizing the dangers of non-lifeguarded waters and the harm to wildlife habitats. They warned of potential enforcement action, including fines and arrests.
Nature campaigner Paul Powesland suggested that the destruction of outdoor swimming facilities and river pollution contribute to such incidents, questioning the adequacy of wild swimming options in London.
