VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A juvenile gray seal was spotted Monday on the beach at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
NewsNation affiliate WAVY viewer James Ford spotted the juvenile gray seal on the beach in the area of 33rd Street. Ford said the seal was there for most of the day.
On the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center website, it states that “seals are frequent visitors to our area in the winter, [and] though they can take short naps underwater, they must come onto land to get a full night’s sleep, and will often haul out onto beaches, rocks and structures near the water.”
It said to keep at least 50 yards from seals, with most seals spotted on land healthy and simply resting.
However, if a lone seal appears in distress or stays in the same place for more than eight hours, it said to call the Stranding Response Team at 757-385-7575 to report it.