I was dispatched for a report of a possible injured seal on Breakwater Beach in Brewster. It is common for seals to come up onto the beach to rest or just sun themselves and we do get calls from citizens concerned for the
animals well being. It is a violation of The Marine Mammal Protection Act to harass or get close to a beached seal. Upon arrival I discovered a very young seal on the beach. It was just starting to molt it’s “puppy” fur. I was not
able to see any injuries and it appeared to be bright eyed and in good health. I contacted the Cape Cod Marine Mammal Stranding Network who responded and monitored the seal until the tide came back in and it went back into the ocean on its own.
( http://www.capecodstranding.net/site/c.ciJJLVPDKpG/b.956999/k.F519/What_We_Do.htm)
The pup looks rather young to be on its own. That puppy fur looks toasty warm!
Lynda, thank you so much for sharing this with us. This is so thrilling!!! I am glad he is alright and unharmed. I think the seal cub looks like a male. They molt like a snake? I had no idea. Mother Nature is ingenious, look at how that baby coat perfectly matches the sand. I just want to give him a big ole kiss.
Wow Lynda you certainly have an interesting career. It must be so rewarding. I would have thought the pup was in distress also if I had seen him like that. How old do you think he is? Is it normal for pups that age to be on their own?
I had to look twice, I thought the pup was covered in sand, until I read the caption. I love learning all the new things on this blog from different people. Not something I would have had a chance to learn otherwise.
If you learn something new each day..it makes the day worth living!
Thanks, Lynda
Thanks everyone. At times my job is very interesting and I love it. Seals are so cute everyone wants to kiss them but you kiss a seal at your own peril. THEY BITE!
I don’t know how old it was but seal pups spend a very short amount of time with their mothers. Some only spend 4 days nursing from thier mother. After that, they are on their own to learn how to hunt and survive. Few seal pups seen on Cape Cod are maternally dependent.
Seals that are seen on land are not necessarily stranded or in need of help. Seals are semi-aquatic, which means that they spend part of their lives on land and part in the water. Seals haul out on land to rest, to get warm and dry, to molt, and to give birth. Every time the Stranding Network gets a report of a seal on the beach, they send trained volunteers or staff to complete a health assessment of the animal to determine whether it represents a stranding or simply a sighting of a healthy animal.
Oh my, Lynda! These pictures of incredible. That would be just amazing to see in person. I’m so glad he was okay!