Mystery surrounds deaths of dozens of swans and other birds in canal

By James Gamble via SWNS

Mystery surrounds the recent deaths of dozens of swans and other aquatic birds in a west London canal - with fears the animals may have been poisoned.

More than 25 swans have been discovered dead on the Grand Union Canal over the past two weeks along with dead ducks, geese and even reports of a heron.

Charity Swan Support says they've been inundated with calls of dead birds on the canal - and the situation is the worst since avian flu took hold around two years ago.

Wendy Hermon, the operational manager of Swan Support , says she suspects the birds may have been poisoned by something in the water of the canal in Bankside, Southall.

"It's not a good situation at the moment," Ms Hermon, who has been looking after swans for over 30 years, said.

"It's upsetting because we don't know what it is [that's killing them]. We don't know what we are going to be facing each day - more dead swans?

"We have had some negatives for avian flu, but they are still not ruling it out. More tests are to be done.

"There are no obvious injuries on them. We don't suspect people of having killed them."

The swans have been found dead by Swan Support volunteers in the past two to three weeks, with DEFRA having picked up a few more.

Volunteers say as many as 15 geese, three ducks, two coots and a moorhen have also perished in mystery deaths along the canal.

One volunteer who had removed a fishing hook from a swan was said to have been devastated to find the bird dead just days later.

"That was really sad," Ms Hermon said. "Our rescuer picked it up one Sunday just a few weeks ago and took a hook out of it.

"The same rescuer then picked it up dead later.

"I think it's some sort of poison, but until we get confirmation we don't know. The testing takes time.

"It's awful because we are here to save them. It's not our job to collect their bodies but if we don't, there would be dead swans strewn over the canal.

"We are a charity relying on donations, using our funds.

"This is probably the worst it's been since the bird flu outbreak in 2022, 2023. If it wasn't for us, the dead swans would still be left on the canal."

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