Thames whale - as it happened: Beluga 'Benny' heads further upstream towards London as fears increase

Dave Andrews, a naturalist who has been tracking the whale, says that he has seen it this morning and that it is "back feeding in its favoured spot around the barges on the Kent side".

He asked that all boats "keep clear and let it alone" amid fears the attention could be dangerous or upsetting for the animal.

Here's our latest report on the whale – as well as the latest warnings from experts about the dangers and hazards it is facing.

The overwhelming advice coming from experts is that the whale be allowed to do its thing – whatever that is. Authorities including the Met Police's Marine Police Unit have warned that the animal will need its distance so that it doesn't become distressed.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue has been monitoring the situation.

The network of volunteer "marine mammal medics" has?whale?rescue pontoons at the ready that can be used to refloat stranded animals in an effort to move them to safety.

A spokeswoman said the beluga's visit to the Thames was a "very rare occurrence", and urged people not to go out in boats to get a close look at the?whale, but to watch it from the shore.

ZSL, which runs the London Zoo among other important zoological projects, says that it is being kept up to date about the whale. "We're keeping our fingers crossed for a positive outcome," its Marine and Freshwater Conservation team tweeted.

It’s very much a working bit of the river that Benny has found himself in – he’s sharing it with huge ships that are continually making their way up and down the river.

Beluga whales aren’t the only wildlife out here - there’s horses, too. And plenty of dogs, whose owners are here to try and spot Benny.