New England · 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
- 11
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
18 January—20 September
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Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
All datesSelect a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Months in 2026
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Carrie Drayton / Tyler O'Brien, reported by Beth Treffeisen, Boston.com
Observation: Witnesses described one seal being attacked just offshore and another seal coming ashore. Carrie Drayton recorded the encounter. The source describes two seals but does not identify their species; the shark's identification was subsequently assessed by Gregory Skomal.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified alex_grady913 — iNaturalist, Dolphin Fleet trip account
Observation: The observer reported one grey seal at 11:45 a.m. during a Dolphin Fleet whale-watch trip from Provincetown. The account places the trip around the southeastern corner of Stellwagen Bank.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified New England Aquarium; Andrew Jacobs / Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
Observation: A dead grey seal with a visible wound was discovered on the beach. Andrew Jacobs investigated it the next day; New England Aquarium scientist John Chisholm assessed photographs and found the wound consistent with a white-shark bite.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Jarred Seth, reported by Gazelle / FUN 107
Observation: Jarred Seth observed one seal resting on the sand during a walk near West Beach. The article includes attributed imagery and describes the seal as resting; it does not identify the species.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified NOAA Fisheries — Ellie Heywood and Kimberly Murray
Observation: Researchers reported three grey-seal herds near Great Point Lighthouse. They sampled six pups and fitted three with satellite tags. The number sampled is not the total number observed.