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Can you approach young beached seals, pet, and snuggle them a little, like you do with a dog?
Sometimes in winter, I will see a young seal on the beaches of Long Island. They just lying there for rest I guess. They are so cute. I want to lay down next to it and hug it. I imagine their fur being so soft.
I am afraid they will bite me though. Seals are carnivores. Are young seals generally hostile like wolves?
Can you approach young beached seals, pet, and snuggle them a little, like you do with a dog?
Sometimes in winter, I will see a young seal on the beaches of Long Island. They just lying there for rest I guess. They are so cute. I want to lay down next to it and hug it. I imagine their fur being so soft.
I am afraid they will bite me though. Seals are carnivores. Are young seals generally hostile like wolves?
If you intrude on any wild animals space, it will most likely leave or if trapped, defend itself. However if some idiot feeds them then they will associate humans with food. This can be hazardous to both animals and humans. Best action, observe from a distance.
There may also be laws against what you are thinking of. We have laws against feeding alligators. Not only is there a fine if caught, the gator(s) must be destroyed, which is the saddest part.
Can you approach young beached seals, pet, and snuggle them a little, like you do with a dog?
Sometimes in winter, I will see a young seal on the beaches of Long Island. They just lying there for rest I guess. They are so cute. I want to lay down next to it and hug it. I imagine their fur being so soft.
I am afraid they will bite me though. Seals are carnivores. Are young seals generally hostile like wolves?
And you want to disturb them why exactly? They likely are wet and smell bad. Get a dog or a cat to satisfy your need for cuteness, or just volunteer at the animal shelter. Leave wild animals alone.
Can you approach young beached seals, pet, and snuggle them a little, like you do with a dog?
Sometimes in winter, I will see a young seal on the beaches of Long Island. They just lying there for rest I guess. They are so cute. I want to lay down next to it and hug it. I imagine their fur being so soft.
I am afraid they will bite me though. Seals are carnivores. Are young seals generally hostile like wolves?
The rule of thumb "When in doubt, don't try to snuggle with a carnivore!" has always worked well for me.
Can you approach young beached seals, pet, and snuggle them?
No. It's illegal to touch or interfere with them. What you are suggesting - snuggling - is actually molestation in this scenario. It's harmful to the animal because of the mother's reaction and possible rejection of it if you leave your human scent on the youngster. If you do handle it you will frighten it and its cries for help may attract the attention of adult seals, as well as attracting other land predators that would kill it.
The youngsters and adults will attempt to bite you directly in the face or throat and rip it out if they can because they can't tolerate the smell of human breath and body odour, it stinks and the smell represents a grave threat to them. Also, seals smell very strongly like fish so you're likely not going to want to cuddle it and get that smell on you once you get up close enough to smell it anyway.
Put yourself in the young seal's place. If you were lying on the beach relaxing and enjoying the sun and minding your own business and some great big huge threatening stinky unknown animal that's bigger and heavier than you came along and lay down beside you and started molesting and confining you by gripping you with it's legs and holding you down how would you react in your fear? You'd be terrified and you'd bite it and try to do as much damage as possible to it and struggle mightily to get away from it.
If you want to snuggle with something cute and soft and fuzzy and harmless that won't fight back against you then go buy yourself a stuffed toy animal. Wild animals are not toys.
Please have someone film it. People doing stupid stuff with wild animals is always entertaining.
Best answer.
Seals will bite you hard, and it will hurt, no matter how cute they look.
I live near the ocean, and every so often an injured seal washes up. A couple of years ago there were several around the same time getting beached with bite marks, and it was determined that an adolescent great white was out there trying to move up from smaller creatures but couldn't quite get the seals in their mouth.
The seals were taken to the Brigantine Marine Rescue near Atlantic City. The seal keeper there warned people not to touch them if they found one, because he had already been bitten 17 times, and he was literally the hand that was feeding them.
Seals will bite you hard, and it will hurt, no matter how cute they look.
I live near the ocean, and every so often an injured seal washes up. A couple of years ago there were several around the same time getting beached with bite marks, and it was determined that an adolescent great white was out there trying to move up from smaller creatures but couldn't quite get the seals in their mouth.
The seals were taken to the Brigantine Marine Rescue near Atlantic City. The seal keeper there warned people not to touch them if they found one, because he had already been bitten 17 times, and he was literally the hand that was feeding them.
A sea lion has a mouth like a real lion and even a harbor seal can bite like a large dog.
Leave them Alone! Or Mom Will Reject them & They will Die! STAY AWAY
Ridiculous myth.
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