seal.watch / uk

United Kingdom · 2000—2026

Grey and harbour seals

Seals around the United Kingdom.

Follow public seal observations from the United Kingdom. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.

Meet the grey seal → · Meet the harbour seal →

Total reports
764
Latest observation

Public reports · newest first

Public records archive

15 January—4 November

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6 of 764 reports

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Explore by area

All areas

Markers represent named areas, never exact sighting positions. Circle size reflects report counts; numbers match the area list. Select an area to filter the archive.

15 of 18 reports mapped · 5 areas

N ↑Great Cumbrae Island · 1 report1North Somercotes · 1 report2London · 6 reports3Kent, England · 1 report4Dorset, England · 6 reports5

Scroll the map sideways to explore the whole coast.

Mapped areas North to south

  1. Great Cumbrae Island1 report
  2. North Somercotes1 report
  3. London6 reports
  4. Kent, England1 report
  5. Dorset, England6 reports

Areas without one map point

Broad country and coast labels, and places without a reviewed reference, remain filterable here.

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

All dates

Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.

  1. 12010
  2. 22013
  3. 12015
  4. 22016
  5. 12018
  6. 22019
  7. 62021
  8. 42022
  9. 22024
  10. 42025
  11. 2342026

Months in 2021

  1. 2Jan
  2. 1Feb
  3. 2Mar
  4. 0Apr
  5. 0May
  6. 0Jun
  7. 0Jul
  8. 0Aug
  9. 0Sep
  10. 0Oct
  11. 1Nov
  12. 0Dec

Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.

  1. Teddington Lifeboat launch ramp, River Thames London
    Unidentified Teddington Nub News, 5 November 2021 — https://teddington.nub.news/news/local-news/sick-young-seal-discovered-by-teddington-lifeboat-crew

    A sick young seal was found lying on the lifeboat launch ramp and later taken for specialist treatment. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  2. By Kew Gardens, west London London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, public sighting (reported by bruno) — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    ZSL description: The observer saw the animal’s body and head popping up but could not make out many features. Harbour seal

  3. Barnes, in front of St Paul’s Rowing Club London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, public sighting (reported by Celine) — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    The ZSL public map displayed 2 March 2021, this locality and a harbour-seal marker. The entry description was “Picture”; no photograph was reviewed or copied. Source classification is retained with uncertain confidence. Harbour seal

  4. Between Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, public sighting (reported by Will) — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    ZSL description: Saw the seal swimming on the surface twice before diving underwater. Harbour seal

  5. Crossing Richmond Lock, River Thames London
    Unidentified South West Londoner, 18 January 2021 — https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/18012021-seal-sightings-in-richmond-and-twickenham-suggest-local-celeb-seal-is-back

    A seal was seen crossing Richmond Lock. The article raises, but does not establish, that it may have been the same seal seen by Marble Hill Park the previous day. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  6. River Thames by Marble Hill Park, Twickenham London
    Unidentified South West Londoner, 18 January 2021 — https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/18012021-seal-sightings-in-richmond-and-twickenham-suggest-local-celeb-seal-is-back

    A seal was recorded in a video posted to a Twickenham community page. It was described in the local article as the possible returning “Twickerseal”, but identity is unconfirmed. Species not recorded · 1 seal