Marine Mammal Stranding Center volunteers relocated two healthy seals from Jersey Shore beaches last week to allow the animals to rest undisturbed.
A gray seal pup, estimated to be one to two months old, was found Friday evening at the end of Holgate in Ocean County, according to stranding center officials.
The pup was healthy and resting.
A stranding center volunteer observed the pup from a safe distance until dark and returned at dawn to find the animal still resting.
The Holgate seal was relocated to ensure its safety.
“The seal was in one of the more populated areas on the island, and it was getting close to when residents begin walking their dogs on the beach after work. In the best interest of the seal, staff decided to relocate the seal to reduce the risk of disturbance and interactions with dogs,” stranding center officials said on social media.
In a separate incident, stranding technicians found a yearling harbor seal on Friday afternoon in a populated area of Brigantine in Atlantic County, according to a social media post on Tuesday.
The seal was resting in an area where residents typically walk dogs after work.
Staff captured the seal in a specially designed net, then performed a medical assessment and transported it to a location with less foot traffic, according to the social media post.
Stranding center officials urge beachgoers who spot seals to stay at least 150 feet away.
The center staff also asks people not to post seal locations on social media, which draws crowds and encourages photo attempts that create disturbance and stress for the animals.
Anyone who spots a seal should call the center’s 24-hour hotline at 609-266-0538.