Harbour seals and Steller sea lions

Seals around British Columbia.

Follow public seal observations from British Columbia. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.

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Total reports
52
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Public records archive

9 December

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1 of 1 reports mapped · 1 area

N ↑Vancouver Island · 1 report1

Mapped areas North to south

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

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Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.

  1. 12009
  2. 22016
  3. 12018
  4. 22019
  5. 12022
  6. 12023
  7. 12024
  8. 32025

Months in 2025

  1. 0Jan
  2. 0Feb
  3. 0Mar
  4. 0Apr
  5. 0May
  6. 1Jun
  7. 1Jul
  8. 0Aug
  9. 0Sep
  10. 0Oct
  11. 0Nov
  12. 1Dec

Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.

  1. Date: 2025
    Place: Near Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island Vancouver Island
    Reported: Stl'eluqum (name given by Cowichan Tribes) Vancouver Aquarium / VAMMR original press release via CNW

    Observation: VAMMR and Fisheries and Oceans Canada encountered a female Steller sea lion with rope tightly wrapped around her neck near Cowichan Bay. After a sighting reported by the Cowichan Tribes, responders sedated her and removed the rope. She swam away. The same animal had been reported since 7 November.