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

2 February—27 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.

1 of 7 reports mapped · 1 area

N ↑Peterhead · 1 report1

Scroll the map sideways to explore the whole coast.

Mapped areas North to south

  1. Peterhead1 report

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 2025

  1. 6Jan
  2. 7Feb
  3. 5Mar
  4. 1Apr
  5. 30May
  6. 24Jun
  7. 21Jul
  8. 15Aug
  9. 29Sep
  10. 37Oct
  11. 42Nov
  12. 31Dec

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

  1. Off Globe, Durlston Dorset
    Unidentified Durlston Country Park, Latest Sightings (2025 table) — https://www.durlston.co.uk/latest-sightings

    One seal reported off the Globe. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  2. Off TW (source locality abbreviation) Dorset
    Unidentified Durlston Country Park, Latest Sightings (2025 table) — https://www.durlston.co.uk/latest-sightings

    One seal reported off “TW”; the source does not expand this abbreviation. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  3. Peterhead, UK Peterhead
    Unidentified Graeme Baxter — iNaturalist (bonxie62)

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

  4. Swanage Lifeboat slipway Dorset
    Unidentified Durlston Country Park, Latest Sightings (2025 table) — https://www.durlston.co.uk/latest-sightings

    One grey seal reported at the lifeboat slipway. Grey seal · 1 seal

  5. River Thames, just before The Red Lion, Shepperton Surrey, England
    Unidentified Surrey Live, 7 February 2025 — https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/incredible-video-shows-seal-splashing-30955994

    A resident saw one seal wrestling with a large yellow fish at the bottom of a garden overlooking the Thames. It swam downstream. The seal was seen with a neighbour; no species or individual identity is established. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  6. River Nith slipway by Robert Burns Centre, Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
    Unidentified Daily Record, 6 February 2025 — https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/stranded-seal-pup-rescued-after-34625370

    One young seal was seen on the slipway at about 9:30am, returned to the water, and was seen again later stuck on the caul before being rescued. Species is not stated. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  7. Shepperton Lock, near The Thames Court pub Surrey
    Unidentified Surrey Live, 6 February 2025 — https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/real-treat-seal-spotted-munching-30948402 (four ZSL map entries)

    Four map entries describe the same seal fishing and eating a large fish near the lock; one observer thought it was a grey seal. Grey seal · 1 seal