A bird flu outbreak has reduced a 100-strong swan flock to just 30 in the London Docklands.
For charities and rescue volunteers who work in the area, the situation has been particularly difficult.
Andy Miller, a volunteer with The Swan Sanctuary rescue charity, said: “I’ve never seen anything that’s hit the flock so hard. It’s so lethal and so infectious, it’s unprecedented.
“It’s extremely upsetting for people who got to know the swans.”
E1 Waterbird Welfare, an East London-based charity, attempted to rescue sick birds with The Swan Sanctuary volunteers.
So far, none survived and there are no signs that the virus is slowing.
The Canal & River Trust, a waterway charity, have had to contract specialists to recover the rising number of dead birds.
Ben Macmillan, an ecologist for the charity said removing the swans had cost the charity “at least £11k” – money that could otherwise have been spent improving wildlife habitats across London.
H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, an extremely fatal strain of the virus, is driving this particular bird flu outbreak – the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) confirmed on Friday.
The virus can spread rapidly from bird to bird, via direct or indirect contact, scavenging or contaminated objects.
Since October, the number of bird flu cases in UK waterfowls has risen significantly. So far this year, cases have also been confirmed in Thames Valley, Northumberland and Leeds.
As a result, Defra has increased the risk level for wild birds across Great Britain to very high.
The RSPB have said in a statement: “Whilst the risk to the general public is currently assessed as very low, government advice is not to touch any visibly sick or dead birds.”
Members of the public are encouraged to report findings of dead wild birds to Defra on 03000 200 301.
Featured image credit: Roxana Diba
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