3 Photos
A harbor seal reclines on the beach in Southampton Village last week. Beachgoers should look
but not touch. In fact
they are required by law to stay at least 150 feet away from the animals. DANA SHAW
UPDATE: 2:45 p.m.
According to Allyson Rogers, communications specialist for the Office of Law Enforcement for NOAA Fisheries, her federal agency will not at this time be pursuing any further enforcement action against the person bitten by the seal—who has still not been identified by officials.
Original Story:
They may look cute and cuddly, but seals—this one hauled out on a Southampton Village beach last week—are not living stuffed animals. On Sunday afternoon, a beachgoer in Sagaponack found that out the hard way.
According to the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation’s Facebook page, the beachgoer reported being bitten by a seal in Sagaponack, an incident reported to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and local law enforcement officials. Further information about the bite was not immediately available; however, a team from the Riverhead Foundation assessed the animal and determined that it was alert, in good condition and moving well, and it was left for monitoring.
The Riverhead Foundation notes that seals are federally protected—you must stay at least 150 feet away, by law. “When you come into contact with these wild animals you are changing their natural behavior, and that is a form of harassment. These laws are in place to keep you and the animal safe,” the foundation’s Facebook page says.
If you see an animal in distress, call the foundation’s 24-hour hotline, (631) 369-9829.
Dana Shaw on Apr 1, 2015