Seals make a surprise return to London's Thames river
Such a sight is something few would expect. Seals, including the smaller gray seals, are increasingly being spotted off the coast of... London. These animals have taken a liking to the shores of the Thames River for living. Experts explain what this means.
9:16 AM EST, November 26, 2024
Unseen in the Baltic Sea for years, they have unexpectedly appeared in the center of London. Gray seals, once known as common seals, have returned to a quite unexpected place, causing a sensation among the residents of the British capital.
Gray seals were wiped out in most Baltic regions after it was decided in the 19th century that they posed a threat to fish valued by humans—such as herring, whitefish, or salmon. Mass hunts for these seals at the beginning of the 20th century decimated the population.
This species is still seen in the Baltic Sea basin. Gray seals are spotted off the coasts of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia and are also found in Poland. The largest population of this species currently resides on the Åland Islands.
However, the greatest sensation was caused by the presence of these animals off the Thames coast. The seals have returned to central London, choosing the murky river as their habitat.
According to data released by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), nearly 3,000 seals live off the shores of the London River. Recently, 2,988 were counted in the area, and over 700, as reported by Interia, regularly lounge on the urban banks of the Thames.
The seals have settled here permanently, successfully breeding and living with little concern for the presence of humans. The sight of a seal swimming along the boulevards doesn’t surprise locals, and despite the Thames not being the cleanest, it offers marine animals as many as 125 species of fish enjoyed by seals.
