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After a lull in seal sightings in Surrey, an influx of bystanders have reported delightful encounters of spotting the majestic creatures in the River Thames this May. The last seal sighting

was reported to SurreyLive in February 2025, with a handful of seal spotters coming forward with their tales. The majority of seal sightings have been reported between Chertsey and Hampton,

with seals favouring the banks near Walton Marina and Chertsey Bridge for sunbathing. Others have spotted seals fishing in Shepperton. David Preston recently sighted a seal in the River

Thames near Shepperton Lock. David told SurreyLive: "The seal was spotted calmly swimming upstream, looking healthy so must be finding the right sort of fish to eat. Keep an eye out,

especially whilst cruising." Others have noticed seals are becoming savvy about navigating the locks, which would explain how some have been spotted as far up the river as Chertsey.

Seals have been spotted catching carp and other fish, with frenzied seagulls above. So far during the month of May, around six sightings have been reported via the The Zoological Society of

London (ZSL) tracking map. In Chertsey, one seal spotter reported seeing the seal under the bridge for a decent period of time. Taking to the website to track their sighting on Saturday, May

24, the viewer wrote: "Seal playing with a large fish (release and re-catch) for a lengthy period." Just four days later, two more seal spotters stated they saw a seal between

Chertsey Lock and the bridge, dark grey in colour with white whiskers. One wrote: "I have an iMovie of the video clips and stills I took! Looked like a sizeable carp the seal was

eating. The seal was mid river most of the time but my camera has 60x optical zoom so I could get pretty close in for video/pics." On the same day, a seal - and what appeared to be a

porpoise - was spotted near Shepperton Weir opposite Weybridge Ladies Rowing Club. They stated: "Very close to seals head out of water. Swimming gently revealing back and head

alternately. I was concerned for the animal, but having read their info, now feel more confident that the seal will be OK." The ZSL has a code of conduct to follow for those who are

lucky enough to spot a marine animal in the River Thames. Here's what to do if you make a sighting: * If a marine animal is spotted on land, stay 50 metres away. * Keep dogs on leads

and walk away. * Do not touch the animal. * Do not assume pups are abandoned. * If a marine mammal is spotted on water, keep 100 metres away. * Do not chase, swim with or feed. * Only watch

for 15 minutes * Travel at slow, quiet speeds. * Make sure the animal is not stuck between boats or boats and the shore. * Report to the ZSL tracker map by visiting the website HERE. HAVE

YOU SPOTTED A SEAL OR MARINE MAMMAL IN SURREY? DROP ME AN EMAIL AT [email protected]