STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Michael Pettinato, his wife Sugeidy, and their miniature poodle Tony Bear got a holiday surprise they had been eagerly awaiting: spotting a wild seal lounging in its natural environment off the Staten Island shoreline.
After many morning walks hoping to spot a seal without “any luck,” Sunday rolled around in unremarkable fashion — at first.
“We brought our mini poodle for a walk, not thinking we’d be able to see it because of the time,” Pettinato told the Advance/SILive.com.
Cresting the terrain at Butler Manor along the South Shore of the borough, Pettinato said his eye was “immediately caught” by a seal, sprawled out on a rock in the water.
“…when I tell you, it was one of the best experiences of my life, seeing wildlife like that: free, yawning, living life,” Pettinato said. “…it was a great experience for me and my wife.”
He joked, “I was a little jealous.”
Michael Pettinato, his wife Sugeidy, and their miniature poodle Tony Bear spotted a seal off the coast of Tottenville on Sunday. (Courtesy of Michael Pettinato)Courtesy of Michael Pettinato
Their excursions began after a Google search on Staten Island wildlife led them to an Advance/SILive.com article that revealed that more seals were being spotted along the coastline of the borough in recent years.
Former New Dorp natives, the Pettinatos moved with their children, Miranda and Lorenzo, and Tony Bear, to Tottenville about six years ago.
Seals — like other wild animals that call Staten Island home — are best admired from a distance.
Should you find one reclining on the sand, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement you should “stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) away” from seals on beaches to avoid irritating or stressing the animals.