On Sunday morning, those near the water or at the Bota Bota spa in Montreal may have noticed an unusual visitor, as a seal was spotted. The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) confirmed that what appeared to be an adult harbour seal was spotted between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Patrick Weldon is part of GREMM's intervention program (RQUMM) and said seals regularly appear outside of their usual range and that the RQUMM receives reports of seals venturing upstream from the St. Lawrence Estuary, which is their usual habitat. "Occasionally, some individuals, often juveniles, venture further up the St. Lawrence, and even into other rivers," he said. "Their presence in freshwater is not unusual, but rather infrequent. Harbour seals (like the one spotted in Montreal), adapt fairly well to freshwater, but as they find themselves in a different environment to which they are accustomed, it is important to adopt good cohabitation practices with these animals." Weldon said that in June and July, a number of young seals were spotted upstream of Quebec City in freshwaters. Young boys spotted a seal in Kahnawake in August of last year, and a bearded seal visited a Laval marina in 2020. Weldon said freshwater is not a problem for seals, but that being in an urban area like Montreal can increase the chances of encounters with humans. Those who spot a seal should do the following:
