Hampstead Heath’s park rangers are cracking down on “selfish” swimmers disturbing wildlife at the bird sanctuary pond during the heatwave.
Rangers have been spotted setting up new signs warning against swimming in undesignated areas after crowds of swimmers invaded the ponds in north London to cool down.
Footage on social media over the weekend showed swans, coots, and moorhens desperately attempting to guard their eggs as their nests were trampled by reckless swimmers.
Despite clear signage and efforts from rangers, people were still paddling in non-designated pools on Thursday evening.
In a post from local group Swans of Hampstead Heath, Londoners were seen paddling around in the wildlife pond, with one swimmer sticking her middle fingers up as she swam.
The group questioned whether “signage without meaningful enforcement” was enough to deter the swimmers.
Nature groups and local residents have hit back at those flouting rules to cool down, begging authorities to take action.
Chair of Hampstead and Highgate Angling Society Bob Gibbs called the behaviour “dreadful”, adding that news of swimming in the wildlife pond, which is south facing and perfect for sunbathing, has “spread like wildfire.”
“The swimmers stir up nitrate rich silt and the ponds turn into green soup because of algal bloom on the water,” he said.
Mr Gibbs warned: “It’s a fragile thing during spawning season when there’s eggs. Chicks will die.”
He called on the City of London to bring in “robust enforcement" to remedy “the desperate situation.”
Mr Gibbs added that the problem has been exacerbated by the booking system, which operates during summer months.
The booking system at Hampstead Heath was introduced after Covid-19 and has been at the centre of the park’s controversy ever since.
One swimmer, Liz, travelled to the Heath with her daughter from Barnes. She said: “It is awful, but there’s just not enough swimming stuff [in London].”
“Our summers are getting hotter and hotter and there aren’t enough places to cool off. And by the time the booking system comes into play in June, you won’t be able to swim here because you’ve got to book ahead.”
A spokesperson for Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association told The Standard: “Whatever the difficulties may have been in gaining access to a swim at one of the designated ponds, due to demand in the hot weather and cost, there is no justification for disturbing wildlife and in particular nesting birds.”
Chris Swinden, a member of the Hampstead and Highgate Angling Society, voiced his concerns about wildlife conservation and the risk to human life.
He said: “Nature takes care of itself. Swimmers kick up the sediment, but that is quite normal and nature will adapt. Life in the pond is well over 200 years old and that should tell you something about how good the water is.
“The real danger is the damage to big wildlife like swans.”
He added: “I have no issues with people swimming and there is no scientific reason why people should not swim in a natural lake.
“The harm is human beings and what frightens me is if things got out of hand and had barbecues which could set fire to the bird sanctuary and kill the swans.”
Two students from the US told The Standard that they had seen videos of swans moving their eggs to protect them on social media.
One student said: “It’s terrible. I guess the demand is so high that people are desperate.”
Oliver White, a local resident, labelled the behaviour “disgusting.”
He said: “It’s frustrating for everyone. Frustrating for people who work to preserve the Heath and for people who want to swim.
“It’s also probably annoying for people who swim where they’re supposed to.”
