Wayward seal pup shuts down Jersey Shore street, takes nap before being rescued

A wayward seal pup caused quite a stir along a street at the Jersey Shore.

According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, a female Grey Seal pup was found in the middle of Long Beach Boulevard.

Officials believe the seal ventured up a beach access path in the early morning before eventually settling herself right in the road.

A sharp-eyed driver quickly noticed the stranded pup and immediately called the police.

“She was in a very dangerous situation, especially since the pup’s coloration made her look like a lump of snow in the road,” said the Stranding Center.

Both the Harvey Cedars Police Department and the Department of Public Works rushed to the scene, working together to protect the little seal until the Stranding Center team could take over.

With traffic halted, the adventurous seal apparently then made her way to Middlesex Avenue, where she paused for a quick nap right in the middle of the block.

Her nap didn’t last long because, once the Stranding Center team arrived on scene, they transported her to their hospital in Brigantine for a medical examination.

The Stranding Center reported that, although the seal had escaped injury, she was very thin and needed urgent care, including tube feeding with a formula and electrolyte blend.

Officials explained that the pup likely did not learn how to eat very well on her own after being weaned from her mother.

“While it is unusual to find a seal in the middle of the road, MMSC responds to a handful of calls every season for seals that have roamed up beach access paths into parking lots, backyards and residential streets,” the Stranding Center shared.

The Stranding Center added, “Grey seal pups in particular are known for having the tendency wandering off the beaten path and getting lost looking for a way to get back to the ocean.”

The seal is now safely recovering at the center and resting comfortably in their pool house.