Harbor seal rescued off Jersey Shore

An injured seal was removed from a beach in Sea Isle City on Sunday and is recovering at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.

Founding Director Bob Schoelkopf told New Jersey 101.5 the young male harbor seal was spotted on Friday on the 92nd Street Beach in the Townsend Inlet and rescued as people got closer to the seal as it lay on the open beach.

"Our concern is for both the safety of the seal and people. People are walking their dog and the dog gets too close and the seal might bite them," said Schoelkopf, who added that seals are in the water during the day and sleep at night on the beach.

This likely won't be the last seal spotted on a New Jersey beach.

"This is the beginning of seal season for us," said Schoelkopf. "It's sort of like people from New Jersey go to Florida for the winter and the mild weather. The youngsters come south because the weather is milder than it is up north, there's more variety of food here and there's less competition from gulf seals."

There is an occasional older seal that will make its way to the Jersey Shore. Schoelkopf said there is an adult grey seal in North Jersey stealing striper off fisherman's lines.

He said this seal, which weighs 43 pounds, was found to have lung worms but is eating on his own and overall doing well.