Harbour Seals

Away from the abundance of wildlife on land, a wonderful sight awaits us just off the Hampshire coast. The harbour seals, otherwise known as common seals, are a real treat and August is a great time to see them, says Tiffany Francis.

- Tiffany Francis

WHILE Hampshire is renowned for its rare butterflies, migratory birds and beautiful chalk landscapes, just offshore lives another iconic species that is often overlooked, despite it being one of Britain’s largest predators. A small population of 20-25 harbour seals live along the Solent, often passing between the Isle of Wight, Langstone Harbour, Southampton Water and further along in Chichester.

The harbour (or common) seal loves to lollop around sheltered sand and mud banks, while the more common grey seal can usually be found in rocky areas around southwest England, Wales and Scotland. Amazingly, Britain’s waters hold 30-40 per cent of the world’s population of both harbour and grey seals, although the former is sadly in steep decline.