By Stephanie Parrish, Hope for Wildlife Society
Every year, Hope for Wildlife receives hundreds of calls regarding seals lying on beaches or ice flows; this is the time of year where you may start to see more seals spending time on land.
Seals are semi-aquatic creatures, meaning they spend part of their lives on land, and part in the water. They can spend multiple days at a time on land. Seals "haul out" on land to rest, to thermoregulate, to molt (annual shedding of fur), to give birth, or to simply enjoy the warmth of the sun.
Every year around the beginning of April, Harp and Grey seals will begin to undergo their molting period and you may see them starting to look a little thin or as though they are balding. This is a natural occurrence and is very important for them to be able to shed their old coat and grow a new one. The molting process requires an increased amount of blood flow to the skin. But molting causes them to lose body heat quickly – so they will spend a prolonged period of time on land during their molt, especially on the warm and sunny days.
Seals require every ounce of energy that they can get during this molting phase, so if you see one on the beach, please keep your distance and keep dogs away from the area.
Seals also love being in the sunshine – you will often see them lying on their sides, or in a “banana pose” – when they are on their side with their head and tail slightly lifted. This pose is the sign of a happy, healthy seal.
We understand that seeing a seal is often exciting or interesting – and we love to see people showing curiosity in wildlife. Seals will, however, be very stressed by approaching humans or dogs. Coming too close to a seal may cause their heart rate to increase and put unnecessary stress on their bodies during a time when they need their energy. There is also suggestion that approaching a baby seal on land may cause the mother to leave it behind, as she senses danger, which creates an orphaned baby seal unable to fend for or feed itself.
Always stay at least 150 feet away from seals on land, and never put a seal that is on land back into the water. A great way to observe a seal is to stand a distance away, and use a camera or cell phone camera to zoom in.
Sometimes a seal on the beach does need help, and there are tell-tale signs. Signs of injury or distress in a seal include nasal discharge, goopy eyes, open wounds, or flies around the animal. If you see a seal on the beach that does exhibit these signs, please call Hope for Wildlife {(902) 407-9453} or Marine Animal Response Society {1-866-567-6277}.
