What appeared to be a baby harbour seal was spotted a long way from home on Monday on the shores of Oka Beach, about 40 minutes north of Montreal. Marc Néron told Noovo Info that he was walking along the beach with his dog when he saw an animal in the water. The young, curious pup approached Néron’s dog. “It’s as if he asked my dog for help,” Néron said. Néron said the Wildlife Ministry was contacted and is aware of the animal’s presence. Patrick Weldon of the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response (RQUMM) said that harbour seals give birth to their young between May and June in the estuary north of Quebec City. This one likely just finished weaning and was exploring to find food. Though undeniably cute, the interaction with the dog and seal likely caused some stress for the young pup. “The challenge in those areas is people aren’t accustomed to seeing seals in that area, and so we don’t really know how to interact with them,” said Wheldon. The RQUMM works to raise awareness of the best way to behave around animals such as seals. “We can’t interact with them,” he said. “We can’t touch them. Having your dog too close is a source of stress, petting them, putting them back in the water are all things that we do not do.” Wheldon said that the same seal was spotted on Tuesday and appeared fine, so little damage was done by the interaction on the beach. “He’s in the water and swimming freely, and we hope he’ll swim back towards the estuary in the next few days,” said Weldon. “For now, we’re just trying to make sure he’s not bothered too much because that is a great source of stress for these young animals.” It is far from the first time a seal has been spotted this far south. In recent years, Spa clients at Bota Bota in Montreal’s Old Port noticed one in November 2023, and a wayward seal surprised some boys fishing in Kahnawake on Montreal’s South Shore in August 2022. Wheldon said seals have been spotted as far away as the Ottawa region. With reporting from Noovo Info.
