Public warned to keep distance during mating season for seals


Although this harbor seal seems content during its April 2015 visit to East Ferry, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says waving its flippers indicates nervousness. PHOTO BY ANDREA VON HOHENLEITEN

Although this harbor seal seems content during its April 2015 visit to East Ferry, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says waving its flippers indicates nervousness. PHOTO BY ANDREA VON HOHENLEITEN

With nearly 500 seals expected to be out in Narragansett Bay during mating season, wildlife advocates are reminding the public the marine mammals need their space.

According to Save The Bay, seals arrive in New England around September, peak in late March and depart in May. The environmental agency monitors seals annually at 26 sites in Narragansett Bay, including Mackerel Cove, Rome Point and Citing Rock off Rose Island. While the most populous is the harbor seal, which is Rhode Island’s official marine mammal, the bay also attracts gray, harp and hooded seals. The reason is food and refuge.

“These winter visitors are a sign of a healthy bay,” said Jonathon Stone, executive director of Save The Bay.

Pupping season for seals is from December through May in New England, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Onlookers, however, should use binoculars to view these animals. While U.S. law prohibits Americans from going within 50 yards of a marine mammal, NOAA scientists recommend a farther distance of 150 feet, which is about the length of four school buses. The administration said the popularity of selfies is a threat to the animals.

“Seal pups are adorable,” it said in a press release, “but the best thing you can do for them is to keep your distance.”

Because pups don’t swim well, they are sometimes left behind on the beach while their mothers hunt. According to the administration, it is normal for a mother seal to leave her pup alone on the beach for 24 hours while she feeds.

“You may not see the mother, but if she sees you near her pup, she may not think it’s safe to come back,” the federal agency said. “It might only take a few seconds for you to snap the photo, but the mother may abandon her pup if she feels threatened. For the seal pup, the consequences can be devastating. Also, attempting to put or chase a seal pup into the water can cost the pup it’s life.”

Despite looking like a friendly gesture, a seal waving its flippers is an anxious signal for the animal. A seal yawning or barking also are signs of anxiety.

“Despite their appearance, these aren’t friendly behaviors,” NOAA said. “They are the seal’s way of telling you to back off because it is uncomfortable and getting nervous.”

Thirty years ago, only a handful of seals were spotted annually in Narragansett Bay, according to Save The Bay’s Judy Lewis. That is because the animal was bounty hunted from the 1800s until Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The law made it illegal to hunt and harass seals, whales, dolphins, walruses, sea lions, sea otters, porpoises, polar bears and manatees. Passage of the law has worked, she said.

“Seal populations have slowly recovered and have finally reached a point where their numbers are relatively stable,” Lewis said.