Humpback whale sighting near Deal confirmed

A humpback whale has been spotted off the Kent coast, sparking excitement for a conservation charity.

A wildlife watcher caught a glimpse of the formerly-endangered mammal on camera near Deal and reported it to a Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) animal tracking programme.

The charity's Kent Dolphin Project (KDP) said the confirmed sighting followed increased marine activity off the British coast, including reports of humpback whales near Sussex and Cornwall.

The project's Max Renton said: "This is a really exciting spot."

He added: "While it's not yet possible to confirm whether these are the same individuals, sightings like these highlight the importance of ongoing efforts to understand and protect our marine life."

In October 2024, the KDP confirmed a pod of dolphins had been spotted in the River Medway.

The Kent Dolphin project aims to track individual whales, dolphins and porpoises to learn more about their behaviour and movements so they can be protected.

The project is run by the Sussex Dolphin Project and KWT's Adonis Blue Environmental Consultants.

The humpback whale is a species of "least concern", according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of endangered species.

The mammal has a growing global population of 84,000 after numbers dwindled due to commercial whaling in the 20th century.

KWT has called for National Grid to reconsider its plans for an undersea cable following the whale sighting.

The Sea Link project proposes a 90m (145km) cable to carry windfarm and nuclear-generated electricity from the Aldeburgh/Thorpeness area in Suffolk to the Kent coast between Sandwich and Ramsgate.

A consultation on the plan runs until 12 January.

Emma Waller, KWT's planning and policy officer, said: "Their current approach lacks adequate mitigation for marine mammals.

"Renewable energy is vital, but it must not come at the expense of wildlife when alternative options are available."

National Grid said it had been working with the charity as well as Natural England, and Marine Management Organisation and getting feedback from communities.

A spokesperson said: "Sea Link is an essential electricity network upgrade needed to meet the government's 2030 clean power target and is part of a wider programme to upgrade the entire network."

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