Over 3,000 seals are estimated to be living in the Thames estuary, a new survey by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) shows.

The river is an important conservation site for many species including grey and harbour seals according to the findings released yesterday (6 September).

The new data collected during a ZSL seal count could explain why sightings of the creatures have become more common in parts of the Thames further out from the Estuary, including Teddington Lock.

Earlier this year Teddington was enchanted by 'Freddie' the seal, a friendly grey seal pup who came to the Lock in February but sadly died at Hammersmith Bridge after a horrific dog attack a month later.

However, while the ZSL says the data is encouraging as it shows the importance of the Thames as a seal habitat, it added that the latest seal count is lower than two years earlier.

In 2021 the society recorded 2,866 grey and 797 harbour seals, a contrast with 2019 when 932 harbour seals and 3243 grey seals were estimated to be living in the Thames.

ZSL Conservation Biologist Thea Cox, who led this year's survey, explained: "It is the long-term picture that is most significant, and that's why it is important to do these surveys on a regular basis.

"Changes in number can be down to a few factors, such as the variability in the proportion of seals at sea whilst the survey is taking place, but this is something we want to keep a close eye on.

"We will be looking to see what happens over several years and monitoring changes in numbers.

"As we continue to build our knowledge base of the seal populations in the Thames and learn more about the dynamics between the two species, we'll ensure our work contributes to national conservation efforts to preserve seal populations here in the UK."

She told the PA news agency: "As top predators, (seals) are a great indicator of ecological health, so they tell us how the Thames is doing.

The thriving seals show how far the recovery of the Thames has come since it was declared "biologically dead" in the 1950s.

"People think the Thames is dead because it is brown, but the Thames is full of life – the water quality has improved so much."

Have you seen any seals in Teddington lately? Click [L]https://sites.zsl.org/inthethames/[L+]HERE to report a sighting on the ZSL's interactive map.