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.
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.
Baby seal spotted at Oka Beach north of Montreal https://t.co/0Ql2rfyLjR
— CP24 (@CP24) July 1, 2025
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
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