2 Rescued Seals Share A Moment On Long Beach Island

LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ — The Marine Mammal Stranding Center rescued two seals Saturday on Long Beach Island. Before they released them, the harp seal and grey seal shared a moment on the beach.

Standing Center personnel moved both seals to a more remote location because of increasing crowds. Although their crates were placed several yards apart, they sat together for several minutes on the beach before entering the water.

"That was just coincidental," said Bob Schoelkopf, the center's stranding director. "They were both released at the same location. They normally go their own way and don’t interact at all."

Saturday wasn't just unusual because it was leap day. It also involved a strange occurrence of three seals showing up on LBI the same day.

The MMSC received reports of a harp seal at Beach Haven, a grey seal at Barnegat Light and another harp seal in Ship Bottom. Unfortunately, the seal in Ship Bottom died and was taken back to the MMSC.

Seals tend to arrive on the Jersey Shore throughout winter. But they showed up later than usual last weekend.

"Usually from the end of December and into February, we start getting them in," Schoelkopf said. "But because of the weather, the animals stayed offshore or further to the north, and now they’re starting to show up."

The seal on the left in the photos is a male grey seal, who measured at 56 pounds and 41 inches long. He has the typical grey and black coloration of a male grey seal, with a bulky head and horse-like nose, the MMSC says.

The other is a male harp seal, measuring at 51.6 pounds and 37 inches long. He has a light-colored coat with dark spots and a small, spaniel-like face.

Although the one-year-old harp seal is the oldest, the two-to-three-month-old grey seal is bigger. By Leap Day 2024, they will have reached adulthood. The grey seal may weigh up to 800 pounds, while the harp seal might reach 400 pounds, the MMSC says.

The seals are marked with non-toxic grease pencil, which helps to identify them once they're relocated, Schoelkopf says.

If you spot a seal on the shore, Schoelkopf says to do the following:

1. Don't touch them.
2. Don't walk up to them, and don't let your dog walk up to them.
3. Don't try to get pictures.
4. Keep a distance of 150 feet.
5. Immediately call the MMSC at 609-266-0538.

"We’ve been picking up adult harp seals right now," Schoelkopf said Monday. "We have one sitting on a marsh in North Wildwood right now, a perfectly healthy adult male."

Seal Stories from the Jersey Shore:

• Seal Visits Long Branch Beach; Be Careful, Officials Say
• Seals Are Back Along The Jersey Shore

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