A pod of five porpoise were seen Tower Bridge.
A pod of five harbour porpoise were sighted in the Lambeth area of the River Thames this morning.
The Marine Policing Unit (MPS) was notified of a porpoise spotted near Tower Bridge at around 9.30am, and at 10.40am, they confirmed that one of their boats was following a pod of ‘about five porpoises’ in the Lambeth area of the river.
Stephen Mowat, a marine conservationist for ZSL, said it was uncommon to see so many so far up the Thames, and cited the recent storms as a factor.
“With the condition of the Thames improving we are getting more and more sightings of marine mammals such as porpoise and seals,” he said.
“They follow prey fish up the river so with the high tides to get more fish further up the Thames. Because central London is a more heavily populated area more sightings will be reported.”
The MPS have said on Twitter that the porpoises seem ‘happy enough’ and are continuing to swim upstream towards Battersea.
They have so far been unable to photograph the creatures, which they have named the #christmasdolphins.
Porpoises, dolphins and seals are frequent visitors to the Thames, but it is rare that such a large group gets so far up the river.
The Thames has become one of the world’s most unpolluted metropolitan rivers over the last 30 years, after heavy pollution led to it being declared biologically dead in the 1950s.
To report sightings, go to https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/uk-europe/thames-estuary/thames-marine-mammal-survey-form,268,AR.html
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