New England · 2006—2026
Grey and harbour seals
Seals around New England.
Follow public seal observations from New England. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.
- Total reports
- 42
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
15 October 2010—24 April 2016
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5 of 42 reports
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Explore by area
All areasDots represent broad report areas, not seal locations. Numbered markers and the list below filter published reports.
40 of 42 reports mapped · 29 areas
New England Six-state outline
Reported areas Detail of outlined region
Mapped areas North to south
- Ellsworth1 report
- Bar Harbor1 report
- St. George1 report
- Freeport1 report
- Portland1 report
- Maine4 reports
- Biddeford1 report
- Ogunquit1 report
- New Hampshire1 report
- Newburyport1 report
- Ipswich1 report
- Rockport1 report
- Somerville1 report
- Boston–Cambridge1 report
- Massachusetts5 reports
- Hull1 report
- Boston5 reports
- Dorchester Bay1 report
- Quincy1 report
- Holyoke1 report
- Scituate1 report
- Orleans1 report
- Aunt Lydia’s Cove1 report
- Chatham1 report
- Jamestown1 report
- Newport1 report
- Stonington1 report
- Nantucket Island1 report
- Connecticut1 report
Other reported areas
These area labels have no single suitable map reference. Their reports remain available in the archive.
Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date: 2016Reported: Unidentified Mike Squires / Boston Duck Tours and Pat Greenhouse, reported by Steve Annear — The Boston Globe
Observation: One seal was seen lounging on a dock by a Boston Duck Tours captain; a Globe photographer also saw it near Paul Revere Park and the dam locks. The report says it was unclear whether the wider set of Charles River sightings involved one or more seals.
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Date: 2016Reported: Unidentified Charles River Swimming Club
Observation: A Boston harbor seal was reported basking on the Union Boat Club dock. This may overlap with other April Charles River reports; no individual identity is established.
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Date: 2016Reported: Unidentified Museum of Science / Kristi Palma — Boston.com
Observation: The Museum of Science reported that an educator photographed a seal paddling near the building. The source does not identify its species.
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Date: 2010Reported: Unidentified Paul Gammons / Community Boating, reported in the Boston Globe via SARA Rowing
Observation: Paul Gammons encountered a harbor seal at the Community Boating dock while hauling moorings. The article presents it as the seal reported in the Charles River that week.
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Date: 2010Reported: Unidentified Boston Globe / New England Aquarium, reported in SARA Rowing
Observation: A harbor seal was first reported in the Charles River near the Museum of Science by a Boston Duck Tour operator. Later October accounts may describe repeat sightings of this seal; they do not establish additional animals.