A recent yearly royal survey found that the number of young swans on the Thames River is increasing after several years of decline.
A five-day search along the river recorded 115 young swans, compared to only 86 the previous year.
The yearly tradition called swan upping, where swans are counted has recently been marked by significant drop in swan numbers, as per BBC.
This decrease is largely due to factors such as avian flue outbreaks and harm caused by human, including disturbing reports of swans being killed or injured by catapults and air guns.
Swan upping is a traditional event where six boats travel from Sunbury Lock in west London to Abingdon Bridge in Oxfordshire.
During this journey, the participants called swan uppers, count, weigh and perform health checks on the young swans they find along the river.
The annual swan upping event has become a well-liked public event, attracting many people who come to watch the decorated boats and crew dressed in traditional outfits as they travel along the river, especially on sunny days.
The drop in swan numbers made it seem like seeing swans on the Thames might become rare.
However, the swan uppers now have more hopeful information, suggesting the population may be recovering, although the number of swans is still less than 155 counted in 2022.
