Baby seal washes up on bank of River Thames in WEST London park – some 100 miles inland from estuary – in latest cub found a long way from home
- Locals were shocked to spot a lone seal pup in Isleworth, west London, yesterday
- The pup, believed to be a common harbour seal, looked worn out as he rested
- Cameron Hazzard took the video as members of the public called RSPCA for help
A lone seal pup has been sighted a long way from home in an unusually upstream location on the River Thames in west London.
Locals kept their distance as they gathered around the wild creature who was spotted outside of Syon Park, in Isleworth, yesterday, at 1.30pm – around 100 miles inland from the Thames Estuary.
Footage shot by a member of the public shows the worn-out pup stretching out on the concrete of the riverbank as an audience of ducks line up to take a look at the unusual visitor.
The RSCPA was alerted to the seal pup’s presence at the location but found the seal had moved on by the time they reached the riverbank.
Today another sighting of a pup, which is yet to be confirmed as the same seal, was reported six-miles away in Teddington Lock, Richmond – the RSPCA have captured the seal and taken it to a specialist centre due to concerns for it’s health.
Cameron Hazzard, a member of the public who took the video, said: ‘I live locally, in Brentford, but I have never seen anything like this in this area before, and found it quite unusual that a seal would be so far upstream.’
The seal in the footage was already fitted with an identifying tag, according to one witness, suggesting his movements are already being monitored by an animal charity.
The pup is the eighth sighting of a seal in the Thames to be reported in 2021, according to data from the Zoological Society of London.
The seal pup appeared to be taking a well earned break on the river bank outside of Syon Park, in Isleworth, west London, yesterday, at around 1.30pm
Locals gathered around the wild creature at a distance to capture footage of the worn-out pup who laid still for a significant amount of time
The sighting comes just a week after Dolly the seal was released at Fairlight beach near Hastings, East Sussex, after being cared for by RSPCA’s Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre in Hastings.
She had been washed up at Margate, Kent, in October weighing under two stone and suffering from an eye infection.
In another similar case Garlic the orphaned seal pup was found in a Southend river on Boxing Day after making an epic journey along the coast from Dundee.
Dolly the seal was released at Fairlight beach near Hastings, East Sussex, last week after being washed up at Margate, Kent, in October weighing under two stone
Garlic the seal pup was rescued on Boxing Day after he swam more than 500 miles from Dundee, Scotland, to Southend, Essex
After losing his parents the pup swam 500 miles from the Scottish fishing city to the Essex town in just a month, becoming stranded two miles from sea when the water on the River Roach dipped.
The orphaned pup is now packing on the pounds while being cared for by a charity after he was tagged.
He was picked up by South Essex Wildlife Hospital helpers and is being looked after before he can be released back into the wild.
Garlic’s journey: He found in a Southend river on Boxing Day after making an epic journey along the coast from Dundee
Garlic was found by a dog walker after he was stranded two miles from sea when the water on the River Roach dipped
A spokesperson said: ‘Garlic the seal pup recently rescued in Southend is packing on the pounds.
‘One of the seals has been found a rehab place at RSPCA Mallydams hospital. All seals were weighed yesterday [last Monday], all putting on at least 3kgs.
‘Garlic was easily tempted onto the stretcher with a fish and weighing almost 33kgs we will have to say goodbye to him soon.’