What began as a unique photo opportunity ended in sadness last week, as a young harp seal died just a couple of days after it charmed spectators on the shores of a popular Newfoundland beach.
Leona Rockwood went to Salmon Cove Sands on the Avalon Peninsula early Labour Day morning to take some pictures of the sunrise, but was delighted to instead find the marine mammal splayed out on the beach.
In an interview Saturday, she said the animal seemed very calm, occasionally raising its whiskered head and appearing to smile as she took her shots from several feet away.
鈥淗e looked totally relaxed. If I talked to him, he would go onto his back, or his belly, or his side, and move his flippers around,鈥� she said.
鈥淗e seemed totally entertained, just having someone there.鈥�
Rockwood, a hobbyist photographer, had never been that close to a seal, but she said she kept a respectful distance because she didn鈥檛 want to disturb it.
Media reports indicate that later in the day, more beachgoers came to see the seal, and a woman even posted a video of herself on Facebook petting the creature, which prompted a stern warning from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
鈥淲e would like to remind people that it is illegal to disturb a marine mammal and human interaction can disturb an animal鈥檚 normal life processes and can result in injury or death of the animal,鈥� said department spokeswoman Sara Dunderdale in an email.
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鈥淲e are aware of videos circulating on social media showing individuals interacting with the seal in Salmon Cove and our Fishery Officers are looking into it.鈥�
The seal was found dead on Wednesday and the DFO will soon begin a necropsy at its St. John鈥檚 headquarters to determine the cause of the animal鈥檚 death.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got it on ice and we鈥檒l look at it Monday,鈥� Garry Stenson, a research scientist with the department, said on Saturday.
鈥淔rom a cursory look at it, it didn鈥檛 look to be in particularly bad condition, and it didn鈥檛 seem to have any wounds that we could see, but we鈥檒l have a better idea.鈥�
Regardless of the seal鈥檚 cause of death, he said people need to remember that even though seals may look cute 鈥� with their dark, dewy eyes and dog-like snouts 鈥� they are wild animals and may, in some instances, attack if they feel unsafe.
鈥淚f you go up to a wild animal, it鈥檚 like going up to a strange dog. It may bite you,鈥� said Stenson, adding they carry a bacteria that could cause an infection called 鈥渟eal finger,鈥� which would require specialized treatment at the hospital.
But more often, Stenson said, a seal will freeze up and try to get away if they feel threatened.
鈥淵ou know how you see pictures of fawns, how they just freeze in the presence of danger? Seals will do that,鈥� he said.
In the video of the woman petting the seal at Salmon Cove Sands earlier this week, the seal didn鈥檛 react much, which Stenson said is quite uncommon.
He added that seal sightings aren鈥檛 uncommon in Newfoundland and Labrador, and anyone who sees one should just leave it alone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice to be able to see them, and we understand that. So take your picture, but do it from a respectful distance,鈥� he said.
鈥淢ake sure you don鈥檛 interfere with them, and give them the respect you would for any other wild animal.鈥�
He said that if there鈥檚 a group of people, they should avoid forming a circle around it and always leave a gap where the animal can leave if it wants to.
As for Rockwood, she said she was saddened by the seal鈥檚 death, but she was grateful for the chance to spend a few quiet moments with it before the summertime crowd flocked in.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit disturbing to think that maybe he was sick, and all these people were around,鈥� she said.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to think that having a bit of company around in his final moments might have been a good thing, but you don鈥檛 know, really.鈥�
The Canadian Press
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