Romantic walk results in the thrill of spotting a seal in the Thames

Marisa Teumaand her fiance Giles were enjoying a stroll in Wandsworth Park this Monday evening (11 March) when they realised there was a special someone in the river.

Marisa said: "The little thing looked so lost! We have reported it to the PLA. We are getting married on a boat at Temple Pier this July as we love the river so much - perhaps this little guy will visit us there!"

This patch appears a popular spot for seals - last July Julia Day filmed a seal fishing between Putney Bridge and the railway bridge.

Wildlife experts warn that humans should enjoy seal sightings from a distance. Seals can become very stressed when approached, which uses up valuable energy resources. They also carry diseases which may be harmful to humans.

Though it has been on the rise, the seals are still vulnerable to a number of threats, such as plastic pollution. Seal hunting was made illegal in the 1970s, which led to a great recovery in their numbers. However, the Thames Estuary seals are threatened by construction projects such as one in Kent that planned to dredge up Goodwin Sands, a habitat for many seals.

If you spot a seal you should report it to the ZSL Thames Marine Mammal Survey at sites.zsl.org/inthethames.




March 14, 2019