Photo: Sarah Chai

Can you cuddle a seal?

Seals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is against the law to touch, feed or otherwise harass seals.

delmarvanow.com - Seals may look cuddly, but never pet or feed them - DelmarvaNow.com

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SANDI SMITH

COLUMNIST

Last year, an early morning jogger noticed a seal on the beach. Thanks to these articles, she knew to report it to the National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program. When a sighting is reported to MARP, it immediately dispatches a response team to determine whether the animal is in distress or has come ashore for a rest. Seal sightings on Delmarva, both in the coastal bays and the ocean, are a normal occurrence during winter months. Seals are semi-aquatic animals, which means they often spend a portion of each day on land. Seals need to “haul out” for a variety of reasons: to rest, pup and molt (shed). Young seals may haul out for up to a week. The seals we see on our Delmarva beaches are normally young seals that have hauled out, either to rest or because they are in distress. Although seals are not typically thought of as a local species to the area, they most likely have been visiting longer than we think. The Maryland Coastal Bays Program partnered with the animal rescue program six years ago and wrote a grant to receive funding for a program to provide public outreach regarding seals and their natural behaviors. Through these public outreach programs we learned the majority of residents had no idea seals were migratory visitors; however, a few residents had experienced a seal encounter. One was in the ocean surfing and the other was in the bay while duck hunting. Both events occurred in the 1970s. Since 2011, seal sightings have become more common in our estuary. There isn’t really any scientific data to explain why this is occurring. But there is scientific data indicating that disturbing a resting seal will cause unnecessary stress, and an up-close human or dog encounter can make for a bad event for all parties involved. Seals have an appealing, perhaps adorable presence and appearance. Like the Assateague ponies, one can’t help but want to get closer and even touch or feed them. But such human contact does more harm than good. Like our cherished Assateague ponies, seals are large wild animals and can be extremely dangerous. They will bite – and serious infections can be transmitted to you or your pet. Seals are mammals, as are we. They are susceptible to and can pass on nasty viruses such as herpes. Zoonosis — infectious diseases of animals that can naturally be transmitted to humans — is the biggest threat. A range of pathogens that not only include viruses like rabies, but also can include bacteria, fungi and parasites may cause these diseases.

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Should a person or a dog have an interaction with a seal, this could end up with the untimely death of the seal. Why? If bitten, the seal will have to be destroyed to make sure you or the dog was not infected with rabies. Increased contact with people eventually leads seals to habituate to humans. Habituated seals are more likely to suffer from negative human interactions and are less likely to avoid dangerous situations. For instance, feeding seals encourages them to approach boats looking for handouts. This behavior has resulted in injuries from boat propellers. It is much safer for seals to remain fearful of boats. Seals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is against the law to touch, feed or otherwise harass seals. Harassment occurs whenever your behavior changes their behavior. The rule is to keep at least 50 yards, four car lengths, away — to give them their space. Avoid being noisy and report a seal haul out to MARP by calling at 410-576-3880 or 1-800-628-9944. If you are fortunate enough to be out on the water this winter, keep your eyes peeled. Seals are likely to surface unexpectedly. And please — stay at least 50 yards away if you see any on an island. This goes for nonmotorized water vehicles as well. Close approaches should be avoided, as they may elicit an alarm response, causing seals to rapidly enter the water. An exhausted seal becomes vulnerable to predators and illness. And it is suggested that you limit your viewing time to 30 minutes, as continued presence can cause unnecessary stress. With the help of citizens, MCBP, MARP, Ocean City Animal Control and other partners, the message is getting out, creating a source of information on local seal habits to aid scientists in the conservation of this significant and majestic species. The Coastal Bays Program’s seal steward program has become an integral component to this initiative. When a seal hauls and a Marine Animal Rescue Program response team deems it healthy, stewards take two-hour shifts watching the seal to make sure beachgoers keep a safe distance away.

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They are also there to provide specific information on the seal they are watching. MCBP and MARP will conduct a seal steward training Tuesday, Dec. 13, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Maryland Coastal Bays office, 8219 Stephen Decatur Highway. If you are interested in participating, contact Sandi at sandis@mdcoastbays.org or by calling 410-213-2297, ext 106. If you see a seal on the beach, we encourage you to call MARP. If you see one in the bay, we ask that you report it to the MCBP program – unless you think it’s in distress (in which case you should call MARP) either by registering it on the website or by call 410-213-2297, ext. 106. We’ll register it so we can tally this year’s sightings. Sandi Smith is development and marketing coordinator for the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.

First seal of the season spotted on Ocean City beach

Megatron the seal released back into the wild

SEALS ON DELMARVA

We encourage our community to responsibly enjoy and protect our winter visitors.

For more information or to schedule a group presentation on our seal program:

Email: sandis@mdcoastalbays.org

Call: 410-213-2297 ext 106

If you see a seal on the beach, we encourage you to call Marine Animal Rescue Program at 410-576-3880 or 1-800-628-9944. If you see a seal in the bay, report it to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program — unless you think it’s in distress (in which case you should call Marine Animal Rescue Program).