Dolphin in the Thames? Animal lovers STUNNED as mystery fin swims though London waters
LONDONERS are wondering if a dolphin has been spotted in the Thames after a fin cut through the murky waters of the famous river today.
Dolphin spotted in Thames in west London
Stunned joggers, shoppers and rush-hour commuters have been shooting footage of a mystery marine mammal that has swum 50 miles into the heart of the capital.
Experts have been discussing whether the animal is a common dolphin or a harbour porpoise, both marine mammals that have made swims into London over the years.
One image that emerged from a passerby at Putney Bridge shows the distinct pale flanks and dark dorsal area typical of a common dolphin.
Social media has been going wild with video and pictures of the dolphin as it slowly swims past bridges and boats at low tide.
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One group of school children were pictured looking on excitedly as the dolphin broke the surface.
One delighted parent tweeted: “Dolphin near Kew Bridge… School kids (including my wee house monkey) enjoying the spectacle."
The Auriol Kensington Rowing Club posted video of the dolphin’s dorsal fin cutting the surface with a backdrop of sailing dinghies and the following message: “We all know Sammy the Seal. But did you see Dave the Dolphin? Spotted in the Thames...”
To prevent the animal being spooked, the Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit put out an appeal to sightseers to keep well away.
The unit said before the animal had been properly identified: “We're aware a harbour porpoise has been spotted up at Kew.
“It's perfectly fine so please don't approach it as it's likely to beach itself.”
A specialist team from British Divers Marine Life Rescue are on standby if there are fears for the dolphin’s safety.
A spokeswoman from the animal welfare charity explained: “The RSPCA has been made aware of a dolphin which has been spotted in the River Thames in the Putney area of London.
“We are liaising with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), who are monitoring the mammal, and are available to assist their teams if necessary.”
Surprisingly, the Thames with its strong tidal flow has become a regular recipient of marine mega fauna over the years.
The Zoological Society of London monitors the river’s large mammals and over the past 13 years has recorded more than 2,000 sightings.
Arguably, the most famous of all the Thames cetaceans was the rare bottlenose whale that swam past the Houses of Parliament in January 2006 but which sadly died after desperate rescue attempts.
This year has already seen 105 common seals, 201 grey seals, 25 harbour porpoises and 25 dolphin species recorded swimming in the Thames.
