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 September—30 September

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16 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.

15 of 16 reports mapped · 2 areas

N ↑London · 14 reports1Exeter · 1 report2

Scroll the map sideways to explore the whole coast.

Mapped areas North to south

  1. London14 reports
  2. Exeter1 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 2026

  1. 9Jan
  2. 15Feb
  3. 52Mar
  4. 35Apr
  5. 26May
  6. 41Jun
  7. 24Jul
  8. 24Aug
  9. 16Sep
  10. 0Oct
  11. 0Nov
  12. 0Dec

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

  1. 2026
    River exe weir Exeter
    Unidentified Visitor report to Seal Watch

    1 seal observed at 09:57 (UK time). Fish in mouth. Swimming around by the weir. Seems a long way up from the exe mouth, but maybe they come up for the salmon ladder Grey seal · 1 seal

  2. Holyhead, Anglesey Anglesey, Wales
    Unidentified jardinjungle — iNaturalist observation 403605037

    A seal was photographed swimming in the water; iNaturalist identifies it as a grey seal. Grey seal

  3. HMS Belfast London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5829 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Observer submitted photographs; no written description of the animal was provided.

  4. Under Tower Bridge London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5828 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Flat muzzle, dark shiny head.

  5. Thames dock boat London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5827 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Muzzle, rolled on its side

  6. Creekmouth Open Space Barking, near the small Thames Barrier London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5826 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Long dog like snout. Dark brown colour. Head came above water before taking a deep breath and diving back down. Saw small amount of body whilst diving seemed quite large & in good condition

  7. In between the Harrods Depository building and Craven Cottage. London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5825 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: The head coming off the water. At some point, cleary eating some fish as seaguls flied around.

  8. I saw it in the middle of the river London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5822 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: It looked just like a normal seal. Observer notes: So it peeked its head above the water, near my sailing boat, before returning under the river. I later saw a seal, possibly a different one, swimming away.

  9. Just south of Canary Wharf pier London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5820 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Head, and back as it dived and resurfaced several times

  10. Near Kew Bridge London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5821 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Popped his head up right before kew bridge struggling with a large fish it had caught spent. It slowly drifted down stream with the tide as it tried to get the fish down.

  11. Between Tower Bridge and London Bridge - probably closer to London Bridge than Tower Bridge London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5818 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Large grey seal swimming and coming back up looking around and diving back down Observer notes: Looked a hapoy playful seal between Tower Bridge and London Bridge - was swimming around and bobbing about

  12. Middle of river by the side of Olivers Island, bobbing up and down. London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5817 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Grey seal swimming on surface bobbing up and down, went under shortly after and lost sight.

  13. By Richard III moored ship next to Blackfriars. London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5819 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Medium to small size gray/brown shiny marine mammal popping up and disappearing for 5-10 minutes before surfacing again with snout out of water and back barely visible. Grey seal

  14. In the Thames in front of the OXO tower London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5815 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Mottled grey. Breaching the surface, travelling towards Waterloo bridge. Floating near the surface but would bop under the water occasionally. Quite large- definitely adult

  15. Near the National Theatre London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5816 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Its head appeared above the surface of the water twice for a few moments

  16. He popped his head up and was bobbing in the water for a little bit and then went back under the water. London
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey, report 5814 — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/

    Observer description: Saw his head and his back when he dove under the water. He had spots on his back and was sooo cute!