All good things come in threes, whether it's backup singers, Latin phrases ("omne trium perfectum"), Jonas brothers, or the number of trials Indiana Jones had to pass to reach the Holy Grail. And this week there have been at least three notable seal sightings in Brooklyn and Staten Island, leading us to wonder: is this normal? Should they be so far inland? And what should one do if one is concerned about an injured seal?
On Sunday, a few seals were spotted being adorable off the coast of Staten Island (see the tweet above).
Also on Sunday, Brooklyn resident Ross Fisher spotted a harbor seal in Red Hook, sunning itself on some gravel and wooden detritus by the IKEA. But that seal looked a little worse for wear.
"I and the arriving police officers observed that the seal's left flipper appeared to be injured as it was immobile," Fisher said. "One of the officers attempted to get closer to the animal, at which point it panicked and rolled off of the wooden beam and plopped into the murky water."
Fisher told us he felt compelled to share the story "since no one at the scene (officers included) really knew what to do."
The Red Hook seal
Then on Tuesday, a reporter with NY1 came upon a seal who had ventured out of the water on Staten Island "very far away from the ocean." (It's unclear whether this was one of the seals spotted on Sunday.) You can see video of that seal below.
According to Maxine Montello, a rescue program director at the New York Marine Rescue Center (formerly The Riverhead Foundation), you should not be too concerned just because you see a seal alone on land—your actions (like following it) might be causing it more stress than anything else in its immediate environment.
"It is normal for seals to rest on the beach throughout the winter and spring and can spend several days resting out of water," she said. "During the spring months, we receive reports of young seals who are resting by themselves on the beach which is also perfectly normal. Seals are solitary animals during the first few years of their lives and will not haul out with adult seals until they have reached sexual maturity. If patrons get too close they can cause the animal to be very stressed and may lead to larger health issues."
On Wednesday, Montello said they had found the seal who was wandering around Staten Island, and are currently working on a plan for how to help it get back to the water. "Often we receive reports regarding seals who have wondered into an area that maybe is not ideal," she said. "These animals are very curious and may travel pretty far away from water. A majority of these animals will be able to find their way back to the water, but we have had to step in a few cases to assist."
She also told us it's totally normal for seals to visit NYC in the winter—"We usually start seeing seals utilizing our local waters in late December/January. However, we will see a large increase of seals (pups and yearlings) in March."
All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Act, which specifies people should remain 150 yards away from any marine mammal. If you see a sick or injured sea turtle or seal, she recommends you call The New York Marine Rescue Center's 24-hour hotline (631-369-9829), since they are the primary response team for those stranded animals. (You can also get more info from the state's Department of Environmental Conservation here.)
