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

4 February—24 February

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7 of 764 reports

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Explore by area

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.

4 of 7 reports mapped · 2 areas

N ↑Seaton Sluice · 1 report1Dorset, England · 3 reports2

Scroll the map sideways to explore the whole coast.

Mapped areas North to south

  1. Seaton Sluice1 report
  2. Dorset, England3 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. 22000
  2. 42001
  3. 12002
  4. 12003
  5. 32005
  6. 22006
  7. 52007
  8. 12008
  9. 32009
  10. 92010
  11. 132011
  12. 72012
  13. 152013
  14. 82014
  15. 82015
  16. 92016
  17. 282017
  18. 212018
  19. 142019
  20. 212020
  21. 182021
  22. 152022
  23. 362023
  24. 302024
  25. 2482025
  26. 2422026

Months in 2023

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

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

  1. North Fambridge mud bank Essex, England
    Unidentified RSPB South East Essex Local Group, 24 February 2023

    The field log says the seal briefly came out of the water onto the mud bank during a 17:00–17:30 visit. Harbour seal · 1 seal

  2. Off Tilly Whim Dorset, England
    Unidentified Durlston Country Park, Latest Sightings — https://www.durlston.co.uk/latest-sightings

    A grey seal sighting was recorded; the source lists the count as one or two. Source time: time not stated. Grey seal

  3. Off Tilly Whim Dorset, England
    Unidentified Durlston Country Park, Latest Sightings — https://www.durlston.co.uk/latest-sightings

    One seal was recorded offshore. Source time: time not stated. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  4. Seaton Sluice, Whitley Bay, UK Seaton Sluice
    Unidentified Pete Bradshaw — iNaturalist (chinbrad)

    Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as grey seal (Halichoerus grypus atlantica). Grey seal

  5. Moored kayak near Hannaford's Quay, Topsham Devon, England
    Unidentified Exmouth Nub News, 16 February 2023

    local photographer dated this seal encounter to Tuesday 14 February; recurrent visits are not separately dated. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  6. River Lagan near Stranmillis, Belfast Belfast, Northern Ireland
    Unidentified r/northernireland eyewitness video — https://www.reddit.com/r/northernireland/comments/10wdofj/

    The poster filmed a seal surfacing for air in the River Lagan. A follow-up comment places it near Stranmillis; a cross-post the next day appears to show the same video. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  7. Off Tilly Whim Dorset, England
    Unidentified Durlston Country Park, Latest Sightings — https://www.durlston.co.uk/latest-sightings

    Two grey seals were recorded offshore. Source time: time not stated. Grey seal · 2 seals