Seal sightings are up in NYC, but the marine mammals aren’t as cuddly as they seem

Harbor and grey seals are among the most common seal species visiting New York’s beaches each year. Photo by Celia Ackerman/Gotham Whale

By Aaron Tremper

Seals and humans have flocked to the Rockaways over the past nine months, leading to a higher-than-usual number of run-ins between the two mammal species — and the occasional unlucky dog.  Local marine wildlife experts warn well intentioned beachgoers to keep their distance: Seals aren’t as cuddly as they seem.

Human-seal encounters in New York City have increased by 45 percent this year, according to the New York Marine Rescue Center. Melting ice up north is driving seals to the coasts of Queens and Staten Island, while a thirst for the outdoors during the pandemic continues to compel New Yorkers to the beach, said New York Marine Rescue Center Program Director Maxine Montello

“A lot of our seals were at normal beaches that would be less populated,” Montello said. “But because of COVID and everybody coming out here earlier in the year, we had patrons that maybe had never crossed with seals and were super interested in these animals.”

The 16 encounters so far reported to the New York Marine Rescue Center in 2020 are the highest total in a decade, she said. Seven of the cases involved people pulling seals into the water, removing them from the beach and offering them food and water, Montello said.

The center has also found that more seals are sticking around for the summer, which may result from trouble up north. According to the International Fund of Animal Welfare, melting ice in the Arctic has increasingly displaced Atlantic seal populations that rely on pack ice to birth and wean pups. 

Milder winters caused by climate change can spur unusual seal migration patterns, bringing more herds to New York’s shores. Rescue groups have encountered harp seals, an Arctic species among the first to migrate to New York Harbor each year, hauling themselves further up on the beaches in search of ice.

Harp seals started showing up in the area around the mid-1980s, said Marine Mammal Stranding Center Director Bob Schoelkopf. Since then, the harp seal population has been on the rise in the Tristate Area. New Jersey had its first recorded harp seal birth several years ago.

Let sleeping seals lie

Between 2013 and 2015, local scientist Danielle Brown worked with the Stranding Center, and came across issues like people dumping water onto resting seals and well-intentioned beachgoers tying rope around seals’ necks to lead them back into the water. 

Brown, who now works with the advocacy and research group Gotham Whale, even recalled hearing a story about a woman wrapping a seal in a blanket and placing it in the trunk of her car

“We had people try to feed the seals silly things, like cans of tuna and frozen shrimp,” Brown said. “We even had cases of people trying to pick them up and carry them back into the water, which is extremely dangerous.”

Marine wildlife experts caution beachgoers to steer clear of seals. Photo by Celia Ackerman/Gotham Whale

While seals may start showing up in late Fall, their peak season in New York lasts from March to May, said Montello, of the Marine Center.

Spring break for New York City schools is usually the busiest time for the Marine Center because more people coming to the beach means more encounters with wildlife. The shift to remote learning, however, has made for an even busier seal season for Montello and her staff.

“It was kind of like the ultimate school break of March through June,” Montello said. “So we really didn't get a break. We just had several months of just endlessly being out in the field.”

Most of the seals hauling themselves onto New York’s beaches are pups newly weaned from their mothers. 

Young grey seals sometimes make their way into backyards along the coast, according to the New York Marine Rescue Center.

But don’t let their cuddly looks fool you, the organization warns. Even at a young age, seals are feisty. It means they’re healthy, but potentially dangerous, Montello said. 

“So these are small animals that have just left their moms for the first time,” she said. “And you know, you want them to be aggressive. You want them to be fearful of you.” 

Protecting people and dogs, too

Not all seals on the beach are looking for a fight, though. 

Tuckered out from days hunting at sea, sleeping seals are often mistaken by locals for injured animals and may not respond to people approaching them until it’s too late. A startled seal will lash out at the aggressor, said Brown, of Gotham Whale.

Seals eat crustaceans and shellfish and have a powerful bite that carries a high risk of infection for both humans and pets. In June, a video emerged of two dogs on Rockaway Beach chasing a grey seal back into the ocean. 

“I’ve been bitten quite a few times over the years,” said Bob Schoelkopf. “And the infection sets in within 24 hours. Any dog bitten by a seal is going to get infected quickly and it’s going to be quite expensive for the dog owner.” 

A nasty bite isn’t the only reason for beachgoers to keep a safe distance, though. 

Seals are federally protected wild animals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association recommends that viewers observe seals from a distance of at least 150 feet. Anyone found guilty of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act can receive a fine of up to $100,000 and one year of jail time. 

Anyone who comes across one would do well to let sleeping seals lie. The protective measures keeping people safe during the pandemic can also help the local seals community, Montello said.

 “As we have been socially distancing ourselves from each other,” she said. “We have to remember that we also need to kind of social distance ourselves from these animals.”