Backyard Harp Seal

Imagine the surpise when some folks in New Hampshire found a Harp Seal in the backyard.

The Newbury Port Daily News reported in February 2009:

A young Canadian harp seal was moved from an Atlantic Avenue backyard after it wandered up from the beach.

Tony LaCasse, a spokesman for the New England Aquarium, which was called to the scene to help relocate the animal, said the seal came out of the water and made its way about 200 yards across the sand dunes to get in the backyard. Since seals don't move well on land, that's a pretty hard feat, he said.

Marine biologists used the experience to educate the public about harp seals and how they differ from the more commonly spotted harbor seal. They also took it as a opportunity to share how the public should react when seeing a seal on land. See full article.