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The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) said it first received a call about the grey seal pup at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7. After coming ashore, it was spotted on West Avenue between 42nd and 43rd streets.
The male seal then went through a backyard and along a sidewalk before moving into the middle of 42nd Street. Witnesses told MMSC that "he had a close call with a car" on 42nd.
An Ocean City police officer blocked traffic as the pup continued down the road and crossed several intersections. The seal crawled more than a quarter-mile toward the ocean in about 20 minutes.
MMSC's stranding coordinator safely captured the pup about 100 yards from a beach ramp. The roughly one-month-old seal was underweight at 28.8 pounds and he was brought to the animal rehab center in Brigantine.
The seal was given a feeding tube and was resting comfortably on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 8, according to the center.
"We have had many cases over the past 46 years of seals, especially grey seals, taking a wrong turn and wandering up beach access paths to backyards, parking lots, and roadways," MMSC said in a Facebook post.
"Typically, we see at least one case of a wayward pup stranding in an unusual location every seal season. These pups are born on islands, so when they get lost, their instinct is to keep wandering until they find a body of water."
MMSC said this is the second seal it has rescued from a road this season and they can get hurt if they crawl on surfaces like pavement for too long.
"Seals are covered in hair so they have some protection, but could get wear spots if the exposure to a harsh surface is long enough to start sloughing the hair off," the center said. "Fortunately this little guy came out of the experience unscathed."
The center also rescued another malnourished baby grey seal from a beach in Sea Bright on Friday, Jan. 12. MMSC gave an update about that pup on Tuesday, Jan. 30, and the center said he was now eating nine pounds of fish per day.
MMSC has also been treating a seal found in Surf City on Christmas Day with a shark bite on his left hip. On Friday, Jan. 26, the center said the one-year-old's wound had healed by about 50 percent and he graduated to swimming in the bigger physical therapy pool.
The stranding center also said you should not disturb a seal if you see one on land.
If you find a seal, you should stay at least 150 feet away and report it to MMSC by calling 609-266-0538.
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