Increased Thames seal sightings could be 'new normal' says expert, as warning issued to Londoners
Dog owners have been asked to keep their pets on leashes...A wildlife expert has issued an appeal to Londoners amid a “sharp increase” in seal sightings in the Thames - which she says is likely to become a “new normal” in the capital.Mary Tester, founding director of Thames Seal Watch, said there has been a sudden surge in seal sightings in the capital as more of the mammals appear to be making their way up the river and “exploring areas of London”.She said she is anxious to avoid a repeat of the 2021 incident in which a beloved seal pup that had been named Freddie by locals had to be put down after being mauled by a dog on the shore near Hammersmith Bridge.She has urged Londoners to keep their distance from seals if they them on shore, and to keep their dogs on leads.“We’re currently seeing a sharp increase in seal sightings in London,” Ms Tester, who is also Thames area coordinator for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), told The Standard.“Seals have long lived in the river with the latest estuary populations from ZSL counting nearly 600 harbour seals and 3,000 greys.“The newer trend is that they seem to be more regularly exploring areas of London.”There have also been several sightings of dolphins in the Thames in recent months, as far west as Hammersmith.“While there is still no proven reason as to why, it may be a testament to the diverse food sources available to them, with little competition,” said Ms Tester.Stretches of the Thames were declared “biologically dead” by the Natural History Museum in the 1950s but the ZSL says it is now home to 125 species of fish.https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/seals-sightings-thames-river-animals-dogs-warning-london-b1195142.html
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