THE Isle of Wight Council has today (Friday) confirmed that a dead swan was removed from Ryde canoe lake earlier this week.

The news follows a total of seven dead swans reported over the course of two weeks in December last year, with Kay Ounsworth of Isle of Wight Wild Bird Rehabilitation saying she believed it could be due to the highly virulent and deadly bird flu, H5N8.

An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said: "The Isle of Wight Council was notified of a dead swan at Appley canoe lake on Wednesday February 17.

"It was removed that day, securely stored by our contractors, and notification was sent to DEFRA. 

"Not all dead wild bird reports are tested to ascertain the cause of death, and DEFRA did not require this one to be tested, therefore it was sent for disposal.

"It is not possible to say whether or not this particular bird died of avian influenza. The cordon remains in place at the canoe lake in Ryde as a precaution. This is under constant review by the council based on local, regional and national information.

“At present, all bird keepers in England (whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) are required by law to take a range of biosecurity precautions including keeping their birds indoors except in very specific circumstances.

"Find out more on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu"