Live Seal Pup on the Beach: What Should You Do?

The months of May and June correspond to the pupping season for harbour seals. Every year, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network handles about twenty calls involving live young seals stranded on shore; such situations can appear critical and local residents are eager to assist the animals. What should you do? Leave the animal alone and don’t intervene.

Harbour seals will be giving birth in the next few weeks and females nurse for 4 to 6 weeks (May through early July). During this period, pups can often be seen briefly alone on the beach while females return to the water to feed. The baby seals can “whine” for their mothers, which is when they are sometimes mistaken for animals in trouble. “One must avoid the mindset whereby the young have been abandoned: human presence near the young frightens the mother, a seal left to fend for itself is concerning to local residents who try to help it by moving it or prodding it toward the water, which considerably reduces the chances that the female will return” explains veterinarian Stéphane Lair of the Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages.

For these mammals, weaning occurs from mid-June to late July. In order to concentrate their energy on growing, seal pups often rest out of the water, sometimes on busy beaches. They can remain there for several hours or even days. Most of the time, they are unaware of the various dangers lurching and don’t respond to an approaching human.

What should you do if you see a young seal?

• Maintain a respectable distance (at least 50 m) and, ideally, leave the area.
• Refrain from touching the seal, attempting to feed it, forcing it to return to the water or interacting with it in any manner; it is illegal to disturb any marine mammal.
• Keep dogs on a leash.
• Bear in mind that these are wild animals that are unpredictable and can be aggressive or bite.

Is the seal in trouble?

Seals’ lives are split between the water and the land, where they come to rest. It is therefore completely normal to see a seal out of the water. Even in the St. Lawrence’s Fluvial Section, the presence of these animals is no cause for concern; their range is vast, populations are numerous, and a number of individuals, particularly young animals, are curious and venture outside of their normal range. In many situations, young seals are not vulnerable, but become vulnerable due to the inappropriate behaviour of local residents. “Repeated interactions with a seal can prevent the animal from resting, and the stress triggered by human presence can make the individual more prone to diseases or predation“, explains Dr. Lair. A certain percentage of young seals die every year, which is natural. The animal will have a greater chance of survival if it is left alone.

When should one call Marine Mammal Emergencies at 1-877-7baleine?

• If you see a seal with obvious signs of injury;
• If people are handling or attempting to interact with the seal;
• If the seal is showing aggressive behaviour toward the public.

With a detailed description of the situation and assistance from a volunteer, the Call Centre team can request the collaboration of local responders to enforce the law, which prohibits handling a marine mammal, and thereby help ensure public safety. A veterinarian could also assess the animal’s state of health.