Overview
- At least 30 swan carcasses have been recovered around West India and Millwall Docks over the past week, according to the Canal & River Trust.
- Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have been notified, and laboratory testing is under way to establish the cause of death.
- Avian influenza is considered the most likely explanation, but officials have not yet confirmed it through test results.
- Specialist contractors and local charities have removed bodies, and the public has been urged to avoid handling birds and report sightings to Defra.
- APHA’s protocol limits collections to a maximum of five birds per location for testing during mass die‑offs, and conservation groups note the losses follow a recent rebound in London’s swan numbers.