An underwater photograph of a large, translucent compass jellyfish with brown markings and long tentacles swimming towards the surface, backlit by sun rays.

Wildlife sightings data

Your wildlife sighting reports are helping make a difference to our ocean. We use scientific data, like this, to campaign for real change in the way we manage and protect our seas.

    Your contributions make a difference

    People from all over the country have been contributing to scientific research by telling us what they spotted on their trip to the coast.

    A huge thank you to all of you who reported your sightings. By telling us what you spotted, we are able to discover more about the health of our ocean.

    1327

    Jellyfish sightings reported from Oct 2024-Sept 2025

    Here's what you found

    Wildlife Sightings Annual Report

    We've been collecting and analysing your Wildlife Sightings over the past year, and have created this report to highlight what you found.

    We had over 1,300 jellyfish reports from hundreds of you across the UK and Ireland, as well as 12 turtle sightings! You can read the full report below.

    2025 Wildlife Sightings Report

    Jellyfish insights

    We work with universities to publish the data collected as part of this project.

    We've been running the jellyfish survey for 20 years. We're currently working to publish the latest trends on jellyfish in UK waters. Stay tuned to find out what your sightings tell us!

    Read the latest published paper

    Blue jellyfish  |  Image credit: Mark Kirkland

    Turtles insights

    In 2025, twelve turtle sightings were reported to us: nine leatherbacks, one loggerhead, and two unidentified. All but one of these was seen in the sea, with only one stranded turtle reported.

    These sightings fed into the UK Turtle Implementation Group's annual report, of which we are a leading partner.

    This report will be updated in Spring 2026, with the latest turtle sightings data from 2025.

    UPLOAD 2025 TURTLE REPORT (THERE IS A NEW ONE BEFORE SITE GOES LIVE)

    A large, dark leatherback sea turtle swimming at the surface of blue water, with its leathery shell and seven longitudinal ridges visible.

    A leatherback in UK waters  |  Image credit: Colin Speedie

    It's not too late to report a sighting

    We record your sightings all-year round. They provide vital information about our ocean's inhabitants and contributes to scientific research which finds solutions to protect our seas.

    Report now

    Other citizen science projects to try

    A woman in a yellow jumper holding up a plastic bottle to the camera using a litter picker. She is in front of the river at Festival Pier, London

    Do an in-land clean
    A male using a litter picker to pick up a plastic bottle on a beach. A Marine Conservation Society banner is to the right of the man.

    Find a beach clean

    Join one of our beach clean surveys and help keep Britain's beaches beautiful and our ocean safe for wildlife.
    Two women, participating in the Big Seaweed Search, are crouched on a rocky, seaweed-covered shore near the ocean. One woman holds a clipboard and points at something on the ground, while the other looks down at her hand.

    Big Seaweed Search

    Help identify, photograph and record 14 key UK seaweed species to help understand the impact of environmental change on our seas.