Seals are captivating marine mammals frequently observed along coastlines. Despite their often-calm appearance, they are wild animals, and it is important to maintain a safe distance from them. Attempting to pet seals is not only ill-advised but also legally prohibited. Understanding the reasons behind this boundary helps ensure the well-being of both humans and these marine creatures.
Risks to Human Safety
Approaching seals presents dangers to human safety. Seals possess powerful bites and sharp claws, can inflict serious injuries if threatened. Their behavior can be unpredictable, even if they appear docile. Threats can trigger defensive reactions, leading to painful wounds.
Beyond physical injury, seals can transmit zoonotic diseases. They may carry bacteria such as Salmonella. Another infection, “seal finger,” caused by Mycoplasma phocacerebrale, from bites or contact with seal tissues, can lead to severe pain and permanent disability. Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease, can be transmitted through contact with urine or bodily fluids. Additionally, Mycobacterium pinnipedii (tuberculosis) has been linked to transmission from seals to humans.
Detrimental Effects on Seals
Human interaction can harm seals. Approaching or touching seals causes stress and disrupts their natural behaviors, like resting, nursing, or thermoregulating. Seals require undisturbed time on land, known as hauling out, for this. Disturbing them can force them back into the water, expending energy and interrupting processes like molting.
Habituation of seals to human presence is a concern. When seals lose their wariness, they become vulnerable to harm, such as injuries from boats or entanglement in fishing gear. Habituated seals may associate humans with food, leading to begging or aggression, increasing their injury risk. If a mother seal is disturbed, especially by human scent on her pup, she may abandon it, reducing the pup’s survival chances. This occurs because the mother may perceive human scent as a sign of predation or threat, believing the pup is compromised.
Understanding Legal Protections
Seals are protected under various legal frameworks for their conservation. In the United States, all marine mammals, including seals, are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972. This federal law makes it illegal to “take” marine mammals, including harassment, hunting, capture, or killing. Harassment includes any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that can injure a marine mammal or disrupt behavioral patterns like migration, feeding, or nursing.
Violating these protections results in substantial penalties. Individuals found harassing seals face civil penalties and imprisonment. For instance, civil penalties under the MMPA can reach up to $36,498 per violation, with prison sentences up to one year. These laws ensure the safety of both humans and seals and support the conservation of these species.