Nicola Baird pays tribute to swans as she gets her paddleboard out on the Regent’s Canal []

THERE are likely now no swans in the whole of Islington, a campaigner has claimed, as a worsening “nature crisis” grips London’s waterways.

Nicola Baird, a climate campaigner and paddle-board enthusiast, told the Tribune that over the last nine years she has been paddling down Regent’s Canal, she became familiar with a pair of swans who graced the borough’s waterways.

She said that these were the “last two swans in Islington”, something she ascertained from her regular trips out on the canals and waterways.

But this year, due to declining health and old age, the male “cob” swan had to be taken to a specialist sanctuary, whilst his female counterpart moved on to Hackney in his absence.

Meanwhile, in a recent litter-picking trip along the canal, volunteers unearthed some 400 kilograms of rubbish — the equivalent of 39 swans — ranging from old shoes to plastic bags.

“I’m very, very sad and quite reflective about the fact these swans are not here, meaning there are none within the whole borough for the first time in nine years,” Ms Baird told the Tribune.

“What really gets me is the fact that now, because of the climate crisis and nature crisis in our waterways, many kids may think it’s normal to grow up without wildlife.”

She led a tribute during the litter-picking trip, using recycled materials to fashion replica swans in their honour.

Despite population decreases across the vast majority of birds and other wildlife species, mute swans have actually increased since the 1970s. Ms Baird said this gave her hope that this is a “temporary blip” and not a foreshadowing of a future without swans.

“There’s been a huge decline in nature, our water heating up has left it in a bad state. It’s meant to be an ecosystem that people can escape to, people who may not have so much access to nature and wildlife,” Ms Baird said.

“If you don’t know they were ever here, you won’t notice when they’re gone.”

The litter-picking expeditions organised by Ms Baird are funded by Active Thames.

The Canal & River Trust said that there was no data on the number of swans in Islington as they are not a threatened species.

It added that there was a “significant swan population” further down the canal in Docklands, and on the Brent Reservoir, which feeds the canals.

This, the Trust said, suggests that swans are thriving despite the impact of an avian flu outbreak earlier this year.