![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_299105611-02da.jpg\")
\n\t\tYour swimming habit could be a threat to wildlife (Picture: w8media)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tYour swimming habit could be a threat to wildlife (Picture: w8media)<\/p>\n
Hampstead Heath swimmers looking to cool off in the heatwave <\/a>are posing a threat to ducks, swans, and cygnets during peak nesting season.<\/p>\n As Londoners try to keep their cool, Hampstead Heath\u2019s wildlife ponds have seen an influx of swimmers.<\/p>\n The heath has designated swimming ponds, but entering the water is banned in other areas.<\/p>\n Despite large signs warning visitors not to swim, footage this week showed people wading through the water and lying on inflatables.<\/p>\n One swimmer was filmed being stopped moments before climbing over a swan\u2019s nest.<\/p>\n Another video circulated widely online showed a swan poking an unhatched egg with its beak after it fell into the water. <\/p>\n Wildlife campaigners and experts have now said the City of London<\/a> isn\u2019t doing enough to protect the birds at this critical time.<\/p>\n \t\t Andrew Knight, a professor of animal welfare, posted on X<\/a>: \u2018Hundreds of people. One protected London pond. Peak nesting season. Ducks, swans, 12-day-old cygnets.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018And yet\u2026 splash splash splash. Right now, birds are still raising their young. Nesting season isn\u2019t over. Disturbance from swimmers \u2014 splashing, noise, dogs, and crowding near nesting sites \u2014 can cause parent birds to abandon nests or leave chicks vulnerable.\u2019<\/p>\n Another account, Swans of Hampstead Heath, wrote: \u2018We\u2019ve all known for over a week that this was going to be a hot Bank Holiday<\/a> weekend, and @cityoflondonheath had every opportunity to prevent last year\u2019s scenes from repeating themselves, but they failed to do so.<\/p>\n \u2018People travel from all over London to party in this pond with little regard for its wildlife. The Heath should not have to lose its nature to accommodate people unwilling to respect it.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/p>\n To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro’s London news hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n The City of London Corporation is working to create a safe haven for nesting birds in the Heath\u2019s model boating pond.<\/p>\n London is still in the midst of a heatwave<\/a>, with locals becoming desperate for cooler weather<\/a>.<\/p>\n The record for the\u00a0hottest temperature<\/a>\u00a0was broken in\u00a0England<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Wales<\/a>, with Kew Gardens in\u00a0London<\/a>\u00a0reaching 35.1\u00b0C yesterday.<\/p>\n On the railways and\u00a0the Tube<\/a>, commuters were caught in disruption after a\u00a0spate of delays and cancellations<\/a>, with some continuing today.<\/p>\n The heat blast has also sparked a debate about\u00a0why the hot weather hits different in the UK<\/a>\u00a0than anywhere else.<\/p>\n Chair of the City of London Corporation\u2019s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen\u2019s Park Committee, Alderman Gregory Jones KC, said: \u2018The recent conduct of some visitors swimming in non-lifeguarded ponds is utterly appalling.<\/p>\n \u2018Swimming is only permitted in the Mixed, Ladies\u2019 and Men\u2019s Ponds for safety reasons.<\/p>\n \u2018Entering other non-lifeguarded water bodies is extremely dangerous, against our byelaws, and causes significant harm to wildlife habitats.<\/p>\n \u2018We always seek to engage with visitors first, but the Constabulary will take enforcement action where necessary, including issuing fines or making arrests.\u2019<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this, check our news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Uncl](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_299097805-3327-e1779878103899.jpg\")
\n\t\tFootage showed one woman wading dangerously close to the birds (Picture: Instagram)<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_299105708-34b8.jpg\")
\n\t\tSunbathers flocked to the Heath and went wading in ponds (Picture: W8 Media)<\/p>\n
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