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

19 February—19 September

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8 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 8 reports mapped · 1 area

N ↑Highland, Scotland · 1 report1

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Mapped areas North to south

  1. Highland, Scotland1 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 2014

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

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

  1. Swale between Queenborough Harbour and the Sheppey Crossing Kent
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey public sightings map — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/ (reported by Chris)

    Observer description: A seal surfaced near the kayaks, then continued swimming alongside them and intermittently breaking the surface for about half a mile on the return to the harbour.

  2. Pegwell Bay Kent
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey public sightings map — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/ (reported by DCurnick)

    The public-map entry reports 16 harbour seals and no grey seals at 08:09. Harbour seal · 16 seals

  3. Goodwin Sands (Goodwin Knoll) Kent
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey public sightings map — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/ (reported by BenMann)

    The observer described one large, dark seal with a long snout and no visible white facial markings.

  4. Goodwin Sands (S Kellett Gut) Kent
    Unidentified ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey public sightings map — https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/main/ (reported by PacificUnderseaGardens and Richard-Spink)

    Two public-map entries by separate observers report 10 harbour seals and no grey seals at 08:17 at this locality. One entry says photographs were attached; they were not reviewed. Harbour seal · 10 seals

  5. Mallaig Highland, Scotland
    Unidentified lilleor — iNaturalist

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

  6. Shetland Islands Scotland
    Unidentified stanvrem — iNaturalist

    Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina). Harbour seal

  7. Argyll and Bute Scotland
    Unidentified ls306 — iNaturalist

    Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). Harbour seal

  8. River Dee above normal tidal limit Aberdeenshire, Scotland
    Pv001D SMRU report 2017 — https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/12017/SSI_interim_report_2017.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1

    A harbour seal was photo-identified above the river's normal tidal limit. Harbour seal · 1 seal