Go Seal Spotting… At Canary Wharf?

Forget long trips to barren, windy shorelines! In fact, you don’t even need to pay for a ticket to London Zoo to see living seals. Canary Wharf has an array of unusual wildlife that reflects the improving condition and diversity of the Thames. In 2015 a report for the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo to most of us) reported some 2700 seals, whales and porpoises had been spotted in the Thames Estuary since monitoring began in 2004. ZSL encourages the public to report sightings and provides a code of conduct to avoid harming the seals. This data shows an increase in sightings in recent years.

ZSL maps annual sightings onto a live map that shows numerous sightings between Canning Town and Richmond, proving these mammals have good taste in real estate. Maybe there are just more people to spot them in London?

There are scarcely any sightings recorded around the coastal towns at the Thames’ mouth like Southend and Sheerness, though of course residents there may not be aware of the ZSL scheme. There is also the novelty value of a seal in Greenwich which can hardly be ignored! Unfortunately the survey cannot tell the difference between singular and repeat sightings of the same mammals. Potentially, just a few seals can make a big impact when surrounded by densely populated, glass-fronted blocks!

Sammy the Seal

One particular character, named Sammy, makes headlines for regularly visiting Billingsgate Market over the past 15 years. Porters working here who feed him fish claim he will respond to their  calls for his dinner. Clearly this is either a very distinguished regular or a whole seal fraternity who take on the Sammy guise for an effortless feed.

Remembering the Thames Whale

Impressive marine mammals with a sense of adventure are no new feature in London. A seven-tonne bottlenose whale captured the hearts of Londoners when it found itself lost in the Thames on 19th January, 2006. This sparked vast media attention and gained wall-to-wall coverage around the world via television and the internet. Many flocked to London’s riverbanks and bridges on 21st January to watch a rescue effort by British Divers Marine Life Rescue after it beached itself near Battersea. At 15.50 the whale was moved onto a vessel by crane and a vet was ‘cautiously optimistic’, according to the BDMLR report. At 17.10 the whale’s condition declined and plans for transfer to an ocean going vessel were cancelled. Finally, at 19.00 it was confirmed the whale had died, causing worldwide sadness.

Time for Renewed Mammal Safety Measures?

In 1957 the water was so polluted it was condemned as biologically dead. As our smog as cleared so too have our waterways. The Thames is finally becoming a safe haven for marine life for the first time since the Industrial Revolution. Nevertheless, just how safe is it for these vulnerable creatures?

A 2015 ZSL survey analysing ten years’ data concludes some of the greatest threats to marine mammals are pollution, noise and physical collisions with boats. These are clear, unavoidable aspects of a city that can be controlled but not necessarily cured.

The ZSL Code of Conduct advises how to behave when encountering a seal or other marine mammal. You should remain 50m away, put any dogs on a lead and do not assume seal pups are abandoned. Dead or stranded mammals must be reported to 0800 652 0333.

Stewart Vickers @VickHellfire

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