seal.watch / british columbia

British Columbia · 2000—2026

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
Latest observation

Public reports · newest first

Public records archive

23 May—28 September

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2 of 52 reports

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Explore by area

Markers represent broad named areas, never exact observation locations. Select an area to filter the archive.

2 of 2 reports mapped · 2 areas

N ↑Vancouver Island · 1 report1Howe Sound · 1 report2

Mapped areas North to south

  1. Vancouver Island1 report
  2. Howe Sound1 report

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

All dates

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

  1. 12000
  2. 12001
  3. 12002
  4. 12003
  5. 12004
  6. 12005
  7. 22006
  8. 22007
  9. 32008
  10. 22009
  11. 22010
  12. 22011
  13. 22012
  14. 22013
  15. 22014
  16. 22015
  17. 22016
  18. 12017
  19. 22018
  20. 32019
  21. 12020
  22. 12021
  23. 22022
  24. 12023
  25. 42024
  26. 42025
  27. 42026

Months in 2018

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

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

  1. 2018
    Waters around Nanaimo Vancouver Island
    Unidentified Vancouver Island Whale Watch; photograph by Martina Rehfeldt

    Vancouver Island Whale Watch reported an elephant seal on its 28 September outing. A photograph credited to guest Martina Rehfeldt places the seal around Nanaimo. The account does not give a more precise location. Species not recorded · 1 seal

  2. 2018
    Anvil Island, Howe Sound Howe Sound
    Emerald (rescue-team name) Daily Hive Vancouver staff; Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre

    A small premature male seal pup was observed alone on Anvil Island throughout the day before being rescued. The aquarium team named him Emerald. He was transported via Porteau Cove for treatment. Species not recorded · 1 seal