Wandering seals swarm streets of Newfoundland town
Digital Reporter
Monday, January 7, 2019, 5:51 PM - Officials are warning residents in Roddickton, Newfoundland to keep their distance from seals that have wandered into town.
According to resident Brendon Fitzpatrick, some have crawled 6 to 8 km away from the ocean. The Newfoundlander says several have been in the area since October.
Photos below show the animals crawling along the local streets.
"People chase them. People are there every day on snowmobiles stopping and looking at them, and the animals, they won't move from you," Fitzpatrick told The Canadian Press.
The Roddickton resident fears the seals are in danger. He told the news agency that the seals are unable to swim back to open waters due to the build-up of ice.
"Nobody likes to see something in a place where they're trapped in," Fitzpatrick told The Canadian Press. "You gotta wonder if they're going to survive or why the Fisheries Department don't do something to take them out."
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) says the situation is being monitored.
"We are aware of the seals in Roddickton and Fishery Officers are actively monitoring the situation," the DFO said in a Tweet. "In incidents where people witness an individual disturbing a marine mammal they can contact a local DFO office or @NLCrimeStoppers."
