Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
In a positive turn of events, swan numbers along the Thames have shown signs of recovery after a worrisome decline in recent years. The annual royal survey of swans, known as “swan upping,” concluded on Friday with a tally of 115 young swans compared to just 86 the previous year. This improvement suggests that efforts to reverse the disappearance of swans might be starting to take effect.
Traditionally, swan upping involves six boats traveling along the Thames from Sunbury Lock in west London to Abingdon Bridge in Oxfordshire. During this journey, the “swan uppers” count, weigh, and conduct health checks on young swans found along the way. This annual event has become a popular spectacle, with crowds gathering along the riverbank to witness the colorful boats adorned with crews in ceremonial attire.
The swan marker, David Barber, shared more positive news about the swan population, indicating a more optimistic outlook following a 45% decline over the past two years. Despite the improvement, the current count is still lower than the 155 swans observed in 2022. At the start of the survey, Mr. Barber expressed hope that avian flu had subsided, citing a decrease in reported cases in the River Thames area in recent months.
As the centuries-old tradition of swan upping continues, Mr. Barber highlighted additional threats to swans nesting on the Thames, including pollution, fishing tackle hazards, attacks from dogs, and vandalism. While the practice was historically tied to royal property ownership, it now emphasizes conservation and education, with involvement from schools along the route to teach young people about the importance of respecting and protecting swans. Mr. Barber also emphasized the importance of discouraging mistreatment of swans, particularly acts like shooting them with catapults, which he described as causing unnecessary suffering
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.