It is natural for seals to be in the New England area, and every year we get calls with the same concerns or reactions.  We are starting this blog series entitled 'Save' the SEAL to address the most common statements we hear from the caller.  Before we begin, I want to provide some general information to keep in mind when you see a seal on the beach.  Using a helpful reminder created by a Rescue team volunteer, Mike O'Neill, let's begin!

A gray seal rests on a beach.  They may look awkward on land, but it is a completely natural behavior.

Survey the area by making observations and taking photos from a distance.  Seals are semi-aquatic and are just as comfortable on land as they are in the water.  There is no need to push them back in or approach in any way.  They are wild animals that should be appreciated from a distance. Feel free to take photos, but stay 150 feet away if possible.  Do not jump to conclusions since it is natural for a seal to be on land in this area.

This harbor seal pup was a recent case on the south shore.  People assumed it needed help, and even suggested it was attacked by a shark, when it was actually in decent condition and showing the typical observations we see for a pup, such as being underweight, minor abrasions, and lacking fear of people.  Pups especially may haul out on unusual beaches or act strangely in the water as they learn the best spots to rest and experiment with different behaviors.

Educate on-lookers.  Explain that it is normal for seals to be on land to the people around you!  Now that you know the information, the best way to spread the word is to educate.  No matter how many signs or flyers we hand out, word of mouth is always the best.  You can also help keep a safe distance from the seal which is the best supportive care you can provide for the animal.

Establishing a perimeter a safe distance from the seal is best.  Share the information with fellow beach goers because they probably just don't know the normal behavior of a seal.  Now that you do, you can help spread the word and keep the wildlife wild!

Alert the experts.  If you see a live or dead seal on the beach, call the NEAQ hotline at 617-973-5247.  We are always available by phone, and depending on the situation, we will either respond to an animal ourselves or send one of our highly trained and experienced field volunteers to the scene.  Field volunteers act as our first responders by assessing from a distance, gathering documentation through photos to report back to staff, and educating the public.  They are trained in what to look for such as proper behavior, significance of wounds, and general safety for the animal.

We always try to get a field volunteer to assess an animal as quickly as possible.  If the animal appears healthy or in decent condition, we will leave it on the beach to rest naturally and monitor periodically.  Usually, it is best not to intervene unless absolutely necessary.

Leave it alone.  Seals are not comforted by human presence, and even though they may not retreat from you, it does not mean it is not extremely stressed by the encounter.  Displays such as shivering, vocalizing, and waving flippers are all signs of stress.  Seals are also federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it illegal to harass any marine mammal.  Harassment can be defined as anything that will alter the natural behavior, so if a seal is sleeping on the beach, and you approach so that it looks at you, you have altered it's sleeping behavior and technically harassing the animal.  The best guideline is to stay 150 feet away according to these federal regulations.

This harp seal is not waving 'hi', someone must be approaching or making noise.  This behavior is a sign of stress and it is our cue to back away.  Physiological stress can cause a severe decline in health very quickly.

Seals also carry zoonotic diseases, which are pathogens that can be transferred from the seal (including carcasses) to humans or dogs.  Seals can also bite, and the natural bacteria in their mouths can cause severe infections so it is best to keep distance from the seal for you and your pets safety as well.

                         
We hope this information is useful when you are out on the beach.  Some of the typical comments we get such as "it's a baby and all alone", "it can't get back in the water", or "it was attacked by a shark" and much more will be addressed in blogs to come so remember to follow this series.  In the meantime, remember our hotline # is 617-973-5247 and if you care, leave it there!

~Kerry

The majority of the time, seals are just resting on the beach. This harbor seal pup picked some good rocks to rest on. They come out to rest, so don't be surprised if they look tired.

The above harbor seal pup is in very good condition. He is laying on his side and has a good body weight. Unfortunately you can notice someone incredibly close to the animal. Although seals tend not to retreat from humans, our presence, including the sound of our voices, is not comforting.



Above, you can see how stressful it is for a harbor seal pup to rest on this beach. These people are too close! Sometimes you can not always tell externally the extreme physiological stress the animal is experiencing. Since this seal is a pup and still naive, he hasn't figured out the effect this will have on him. It is recommended to stay at least 150 feet away from seals on the beach to limit the stress.



There are some signs of stress that you can look for. For example, the above gray seal is not waving at the photographer. The flipper movement is a sign of stress and is your cue to back away. Other signs of stress include shivering, vocalizing, yawning, and labored breathing.

Keep in mind sometimes these young pups rest in awkward places, as you can see in the above photo where the seal is resting on the stairs.

Some people get concerned about seals being on such rocky beaches as well, but it is natural for them to rest on rocks and we are not alarmed when we see some superficial abrasions from the rough environment.

Sometimes seals do get in situations we can help with. Can you find the seal in the top left photo? This seal was on a jetty, but as people approached, it went further and further into the rocks. He likely could have gotten out on his own if the area was quiet, but we were able to help him a bit and move him to a quiet beach where he went back in the water (Photo below).

Another case we dealt with last week involved a seal with a fish hook in it's mouth.  The pictures below tell the tale.  The seal came out on a very crowded beach, but luckily some beach goers were able to rope the area off for us.  This gave us time to respond with out the seal being scared back into the water. 


You can see the fish hook in the seal's mouth.

As another BUSY seal pupping season has come to an end, the fine folks here at the New England Aquarium’s Department of Rescue and Rehabilitation thought it necessary to touch on a few points to bring the season to pleasant closure. First we will review some basic facts about some of our resident marine mammals, then we’ll touch on some key points to take away from this busy season we’ve all had.

First things first, what types of seals will New Englanders, and tourists, most commonly see during these summer months?


Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina)
Photo credit: Patti Linnehan

 
Gray seal (Halichoerus grypus)
Photo credit: Bill Schley

Even though there is a strong bond between mother and pup, harbor seals for the most part do not show affinity to be in close contact with other harbor seals. However, during molting season which is between spring and fall, they are often found congregating together on sandy and rocky areas in addition to various kinds of intertidal zones. They can be found sleeping, scratching, lounging, as well as scanning the area for potential threats of predators. It is common and natural to find a seal pup alone out of the water hauled up on shore. It is here that the young pup, usually still nursing, rests as it waits patiently for its mother to return from feeding.

 
Mom/pup seal pair nursing on a beach
Image from habitatjournal.blogspot.com

Harbor seals will nurse their pups for roughly four weeks, and after that are abruptly weaned from their mothers. At this point, the seals are left to fend for themselves. This is a very stressful time for these young seals, and why it is especially important to allow them to rest undisturbed!

Approaching a seal, regardless of age, places the animal and the approaching person in danger. Stress to these creatures puts them at greater risk of prolonged illness and injury. If you should happen to see a seal resting on shore, it is important to stay at least 150 feet away. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 states that anyone is in violation of this Act if their presence changes the behavior in any way of a marine mammal. We therefore recommend people to stay at least 150 feet away, and depending on the behavior, even further.

 
The Aquarium's Rescue and Rehabilitation Dept. sign that we use in the field.

The strandings of whales, porpoises and dolphins should not be confused with seals coming on shore. The response methods used for different marine mammals varies according with species. For instance, responding to a stranded dolphin or other cetacean, which should never come ashore, will be very different than our response to a seal, which commonly rest on shore.

 
Photo credit: Robin Foley

This young harbor seal, seen above, is resting on a rocky shore. It does not appear to be in need of assistance. The best approach is to monitor the seal at a safe distance. There is no need to intervene, since that will cause unneeded stress.



The above picture shows beach goers sitting and congregating TOO CLOSE to a resting seal pup. What these children and most people do not understand is that their presence puts this pup in danger. If this pup were still nursing, mom would not approach if people or other predators were present. Mom will often abandon her young when danger is present and if that happens, it will lead to the pup not getting the nourishment needed and possibly cause its demise. The physical presence of humans, any physical contact or placing yourself between the animal and its perceived escape route back to the water are all very stressful situations for these animals. If there are pets present, that too will contribute to increasing the seals stress and put its survival at risk.



For the safety of beach goers and their pets, it's important not to come in contact with these animals. Not only is it illegal to make physical contact, but seals are also capable of transmitting disease to other mammals they come in contact with. This includes dogs as well as people!

 
Photo credit: Laurie Gienapp

The harbor seal pictured above is aware of the person taking its picture. The photographer is quite a distance from the seal, and the seal appears to be relaxed based on the “banana posture” of its body.



This photographer is TOO CLOSE to this young gray seal. The footprints surrounding this animal are an indication that people were interacting with this animal. Gray seals are known to act aggressively, and they will often growl and vocalize when they feel threatened, as shown in the picture above.

NOW FOR A FEW TAKE HOME MESSAGES! • Seals rest on shore. This is perfectly normal behavior for all seals, young and old. Wouldn’t you be tired too if you were swimming in the ocean all day?
• While they are resting, they need to be left alone! Do not try to feed, touch, or pose with these animals for pictures. Remember, harassment is anything that changes the natural behavior of the seal.
• If a seal truly is injured, don’t touch it or try to help it! Call the Marine Animal Hotline immediately.
• Keep the WILD in WILDlife. Enjoy the presence of these native animals from a distance.

This blog was created by our wonderful Wednesday volunteers, Diane and Deidre. Thanks to them, and to all the rest of the volunteers for their hard work with the Rescue Department!

Photo:WCNE

It's that time of year again. As the temperature drops our Arctic friends once again return to Massachusetts beaches. You can see in the photo above a seal in Rockport, MA that was monitored by the Whale Center of New England (WCNE).

Photo Credit: Patty Adell

• Stay calm!
• Clearly state where the seal is. Give town name and what beach the seal is on. Also if there is a close address give that too.
• We will need your phone number to call you back. Slowly state your number.
• Give us some comments on the seal. Is it lying on it's side or vocalizing...

Most importantly enjoy the moment from a safe distance!



-Adam

Harbor seal pup season has arrived so I thought I would give you an update on what the rescue team has been doing in the field and a reminder of what to do when you see a seal on the beach.

On Saturday morning, I received a call about a seal in Winthrop. One of our field volunteers went to check on it immediately and found a healthy harp seal resting on the beach. Everything seemed pretty quiet throughout the day and our volunteer checked on it multiple times, but by 4pm more people on the beach meant more people approaching and harassing the seal. It is normal for seals to rest on the beach and they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which means harassing (any disturbance that will alter normal behavior including approaching, loud noise, feeding, etc.) seals is illegal. Unfortunately people started trying to pet the seal (one person almost got bit) and get it back in the water, but this does more harm than good. Here are more tips on what to do if you come across a seal on the beach.

On Tuesday, the rescue team responded to a live dolphin. At around 4:30pm, Adam received a report of an animal, what was originally believed to be a harbor porpoise, swimming just off shore of Revere Beach. The description seemed to be the behavior of a porpoise feeding close to shore, which is normal for this species. While getting more information on the animal, it then beached itself.