Is a Seal Pup Alone on the Beach Abandoned? What to Know

Why seal mothers leave their pups alone

Unlike most mammal mothers, many seal mothers cannot stay beside their young all the time. A harbor seal mother nurses her pup for about 4–6 weeks, and during that time she often goes back to sea to feed. She leaves the pup resting on a beach, sandbank or rock and comes back later, often to the same spot.

NOAA explains that the mother will most likely be back soon, but if she sees people close to her pup, or the pup is not where she left it, she may not return. That is why many “abandoned” pups that end up in rescue centers were separated from their mothers by people or dogs, not deserted. Seals are wary of humans on land, and a crowd of onlookers can keep a mother away for hours.

Harbor seal pups vs gray seal pups

The two seals most often seen on European and North American beaches raise their pups differently.

Harbor seal pups usually shed their white baby coat before birth, so a harbor seal pup with a white, fluffy coat may have been born too early and should be reported. A white, fluffy gray seal pup, by contrast, is perfectly normal. Gray seal mothers wean their pups abruptly and leave for good, and the fat pup then lives on its blubber while it molts and before it heads to sea.

Signs a seal pup is probably fine

A healthy pup alone on the beach usually:

• Looks plump and round, with no visible neck, hips or ribs
• Rests or sleeps on its side or belly and lifts its head when alert
• Has clear eyes and no obvious wounds
• Moves away from people or toward the water if approached
• Calls now and then, which is a normal way of contacting its mother

Resting on land is normal for seals of all ages. They haul out to rest, warm up or cool down, and molt, and they move awkwardly on land, hunching along on their bellies. NOAA notes that this caterpillar-like movement does not mean a seal is injured.

When a seal pup may need help

Leave the decision to trained responders, but report the pup if you see:

• A very thin body, with the neck, hips or backbone showing
• Open wounds, bleeding or bite marks
• Fishing line, netting, packing bands or plastic wrapped around it
• Coughing, labored breathing, or discharge from the eyes or nose
• A pup tumbling in the surf or unable to move away from danger
• A harbor seal pup with a white, woolly coat
• A pup being chased or handled by people or dogs

Responders may ask you to watch from a distance for a while before they decide whether to step in, since many pups that look worrying are simply waiting for their mothers.

What to do if you find a seal pup

1. Stay back. NOAA recommends at least 50 yards (46 m). Use binoculars or a camera zoom instead of walking closer.
2. Keep dogs on a leash and well away. Dogs can scare mothers away, injure pups and catch or spread diseases.
3. Keep other people back quietly, and do not crowd the pup for photos.
4. Note the details: where the pup is, its size and coat, any injuries, and how long you have watched it.
5. Call your local stranding network or rescue group if the pup looks sick, injured or entangled, or if it is in danger from people or dogs.

What not to do

• Do not touch, pick up or cover the pup, even to “keep it warm”.
• Do not pour water on it or push it into the sea. NOAA warns this can exhaust the pup or expose it to predators.
• Do not feed it or try to give it milk or fish.
• Do not try to move it, carry it away or take it home.

These rules protect people too. Seals have sharp teeth and can bite hard, and seal bites can cause serious infections. If anyone is bitten, seek emergency medical help immediately: call 911 (US), 112 (EU) or 999 (UK).

Who to call about a seal pup

• United States: NOAA’s regional marine mammal stranding networks, listed on the NOAA Fisheries website, or a local member such as The Marine Mammal Center in California. Seals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and touching or harassing them is illegal.
• Canada: Fisheries and Oceans Canada or a regional marine mammal response network.
• United Kingdom: British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), the RSPCA in England and Wales or the Scottish SPCA in Scotland.
• Ireland: Seal Rescue Ireland.
• Continental Europe: national seal centers, such as Sealcentre Pieterburen in the Netherlands or the Seehundstation Friedrichskoog in Germany.

To learn more about the seals themselves, see the profiles of the harbor seal and gray seal, or read What do seals eat? to understand why mothers must spend so much time at sea.