News

Baby seal spotted on Montreal beach after stressful encounter with dog

What appears to be a harbour seal was spotted twice on this beach just north of Montreal.

Laura Osborne
Written by
Laura Osborne
Editor, Time Out Canada
Seal
Photograph: Shutterstock / Raphael Ruz
Advertising

Golden stretches of sand, shady forest, kayaks and paddle boards. 

These are the things we expect to see when we head to this gorgeous beach around 40 minutes north of Montreal.

This week, this glorious stretch of sand also became home to a baby seal.

Lac des Deux Montagnes, a stunning part of Oka National Park, is where people flock during the summer to beat the heat, swim, paddle, or simply walk along the shore.

Oka beach
Photograph: Shutterstock / Sandra Cunningham

A video recently posted by Marc Néron shows a baby seal under some stress while interacting with a dog. 

According to a report by CTV news, harbour seals give birth to their young between May and June in the estuary north of Quebec City.

In recent years, spa-goers at Bota Bota in Montreal’s Old Port spotted one in November 2023.

And in August 2022, a seal popped up near a group of boys fishing in Kahnawake.

What do you do if you find a baby seal?

According to the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network, if you see a seal on shore you should:

Leave the animal alone, maintain your distance (minimum 50 m) and keep dogs on a leash 

Avoid groups of people crowded around the seal and do not attempt to interact with the animal

Report the incident to 1-877-722-5346 if the animal is injured, in a busy area, demonstrating aggressive behaviour  or in the presence of people not complying with these guidelines

Remember that it is illegal to touch, feed, return to the water or kill a marine mammal without a licence issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Those who violate these regulations are subject to fines

Fisheries and Oceans Canada also provide this additional information on their website:

As human interactions with wild marine mammals increase, the risk of disturbing or injuring the animals also increases

Seals spend about a third of their time on land. They come up on shore on a daily basis to rest, socialize, escape predators, give birth, nurse young and bask in the sun to keep warm 

If you come across a live seal please keep your distance as seals on shore are easily disturbed, and can inflict a serious bite if agitated

Seal pupping season occurs during spring and summer, a peak time for boaters and beach goers 

Each year people find baby seals, commonly known as seal pups, on shore and pick them up thinking they have been abandoned

The mothers may simply be out foraging,or frightened away by human presence and will shortly return to reclaim and tend to their pup 

Should you encounter a lone seal pup please keep your distance and do not attempt to remove the seal as it may not need rescuing and your actions can endanger its life

Do's and don'ts:

Do not touch, move, disturb or harass the seal

Do not try to feed the seal

Do not pour water on the seal as they are often on shore to dry off

Do not force the seal into the water

Do stay a safe distance away from the seal

Do keep pets and children away to avoid harmful interaction

Do observe the condition,size,and location of the seal

Do call the fisheries and oceans canada hotline if you see a seal being harassed or harmed

Do call a seal rehabilitation centre if you believe the seal is sick, injured or abandoned


RECOMMENDED:
Best things to do in Montreal right now
Montreal's best pools to cool off in this summer
Best parks in Montreal 

​​

You may also like
You may also like
Advertising