a 15ft ( 4 . 5 foot ) eastern round - winged marine has been seen swimming in the river thames in central britain , uk . the " thames whale " managed to float up past the thames barrier and under many buildings , reach as far as hammersmith before it wound in just before albert bridges . tv news crews scrambled to provided live tv video of the whales , and multiple spectators lined the banks of the river . the animal is said to be not well , although some fear that the whale may beach itself as it tried to do before rescuers forced it back into the bend of the river . usually located in the north atlantic , there have been sightings of a second dolphin near southend .
The River Thames flows through London.