Wildlife you can watch from land
Cornwall’s seas are home to a range of larger animals, and several can be seen without going afloat. A headland, a quiet cove or a harbor wall may be enough. Sightings are never guaranteed, since these are wild animals that move with fish, tides and weather, but patient watching often pays off. This article describes the groups people most often mention and suggests how to watch without causing harm.
Grey seals
The grey seal is the most commonly seen marine mammal around Cornwall. Adults are large, with a long, sloping nose, and colors range from pale gray to dark brown, with mottled patterns. They are often spotted hauled out on rocks and ledges at low tide, or poking their heads out of the water to look at people on the shore.
Seals come ashore to rest, to molt and, in the autumn and winter, to give birth. Pups of the grey seal are born with pale, fluffy coats and are left on beaches and in sea caves for a period while the mother feeds. A pup on a beach may look abandoned, but its mother is usually nearby. Approaching it can frighten the mother away and may lead her to abandon it.
If you see a seal pup:
- Stay well back, and keep dogs on a leash or away entirely.
- Do not touch, feed or try to move it.
- If it looks injured or in distress, contact a recognized marine animal rescue organization or local authority rather than intervening yourself.
Seals can bite and carry diseases, so distance is also for your own safety. Some of the best places to look are the quieter stretches of coast, including sea caves and rocky coves with a little shelter, although landing sites are often tucked away and hard to reach.
Dolphins and porpoises
Several kinds of dolphin occur in the waters off south-west England. The common dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin are the species most often reported, and the harbor porpoise, a smaller and shyer relative, can be seen too. Dolphins are usually spotted in groups, leaping or riding the bow wave of boats. Harbor porpoises tend to roll quietly at the surface with a small triangular fin and rarely jump, so they are easily missed in rough water.
For shore watching, calm days with little wind are best, because a flat sea makes fins and splashes stand out. Head up to a high viewpoint on a headland, scan the water slowly with binoculars, and look for birds gathering, which can signal feeding fish. Timing varies from year to year, so local sightings groups and visitor information are more reliable than general rules.
Whales
Larger whales are occasionally recorded, and minke whales are among those reported in south-west waters, but they are far less common than seals or dolphins. Most people should treat a whale sighting as a rare treat and not a likely event.
Basking sharks
The basking shark is the second-largest fish in the world, and it appears in the waters off Cornwall in warmer months. Despite the intimidating size, it is a gentle filter feeder that swims slowly with its mouth open to strain tiny animals called zooplankton from the water. It does not hunt people.
Basking sharks are often seen near the surface when plankton is abundant, with the dorsal fin, and sometimes the tail tip, breaking the water. People sometimes mistake the fin for something more menacing. Sightings are most frequent in late spring through summer, though timing depends on conditions and varies year to year. Conservation bodies monitor them, and sightings reported by the public can help scientists, so it is worth noting date, place and behavior if you see one.
Basking sharks are legally protected in the United Kingdom, so it is an offense to harass them, and boat operators and swimmers are expected to keep their distance. Specifics of regulations can change, so rely on current official guidance rather than this general summary.
Other animals worth looking for
Along the shore you may also notice:
- Ocean sunfish, an odd, flat-looking fish that sometimes basks at the surface in summer.
- Jellyfish, which wash in at some times of year. Some sting, so avoid touching them even when stranded.
- Diving seabirds, which often indicate fish below. For more on them, see the article on coastal seabirds.
How to watch responsibly
A few principles apply everywhere:
- Keep your distance. Use binoculars rather than approaching. From a boat, follow current guidance from local operators on how close to go.
- Let the animal choose. If a seal or dolphin approaches you, that is fine, but do not chase.
- Stay quiet and slow. Sudden noises and movement can cause stress.
- Keep dogs controlled. Dogs can scare and injure seals, particularly pups.
- Do not feed wildlife.
- Avoid drones near seal colonies and nesting seabirds.
- Report problems. Stranded or entangled animals should be reported to a recognized rescue group, with the exact location, without trying to handle them.
If you want a closer look, consider a licensed boat trip with an operator who follows an accredited code of conduct. Check what training and standards operators say they follow and ask about them directly.
Safety on the shore
Good viewpoints are often at the edges of cliffs or on exposed rocks. Remember the basics of coastal safety: stay back from crumbling edges, respect the tide, and do not scramble down to a cove in order to get closer. If you are on a beach, check the tide first so you are not cut off, as explained in the guide to coastal tides. With patience and care, watching marine wildlife can be one of the quiet pleasures of a visit to Cornwall.