Local Seal Causes a Stir, But the Situation Was Perfectly Normal

Photo credit: Mitch Blum

Baby seals, like baby humans, need lots of rest.

And that’s exactly what the small harbor seal spotted Tuesday afternoon on Devereux Beach in Marblehead was doing -- resting.

“People don’t realize that baby seals have to rest on the shore, and it’s very common,” said Diane Treadwell, an animal control officer for Swampscott and Marblehead as well as a field responder for the New England Aquarium. “The resting is very important. If they can’t rest on the beach, that’s detrimental to them.”

She explained that she receives calls about seals like this often -- four or so recently -- and that they generally aren’t anything to be concerned about. Just last week, a Swampscott police log entry notes that a “possibly injured” seal was spotted on Preston Beach. Treadwell said that was another case of normal seal behavior.

In the recent Marblehead case, Treadwell said it appeared the harbor seal pup showed up on Devereux Beach at about 2 p.m. Tuesday. She monitored the seal and left it around 11 p.m. Tuesday night. By the time she returned early Wednesday morning, Treadwell said the seal was gone, and she could see a trail back to the water.

Harbor seals are born in May and June, Treadwell said, so this Devereux Beach pup was no more than a couple of months old. She said it’s normal for the pup to be away from its mother for a time.

“They can actually spend two, three days or even longer on the beach,” Treadwell said, adding that this pup appeared to be perfectly healthy. Photos were sent over time to the New England Aquarium so experts there could monitor the seal’s condition.

The Marblehead Police Department asked beachgoers to stay away from the seal, a request that Treadwell said is actually state law. She said that passersby are required to stay at least 150 feet away from seals or face possible fines.

“They should just stay away from them and let the babies rest,” Treadwell said. “Don’t try to give them food or water.”

Treadwell said it complicates things when the pups find their way onto busy beaches, but she just works with nearby lifeguards to establish the rules for leaving the seal alone.

“It’s always great if people do notify us so we can go and assess the situation and if it’s in a busy area we can make sure people don’t approach them,” Treadwell said. “It’s a time that we can educate the public on the seals. It’s really not uncommon at all.”