a 15ft ( 4 . 5 meter ) northern bottle - nose whales has been spotted floating in the river thames in south london , uk . the " thames whale " managed to wash up behind the thames barrier and under more buildings , reaching as nearly as chelsea before it came around just before albert bridge . tv news helicopters scrambled to provide live filmed evidence of the whale , and various spectators lined the cliffs of the river . the creature is said to be looking calm , although some fear that the marine may drown itself as it tried to do before rescuers forcing it back into the middle of the river . normally finding in the north atlantic , there have been sightings of a second version near liverpool .
The River Thames flows through London.