Seal washes ashore in Delaware

DEWEY BEACH, Del. - January 22, 2009 (WPVI) -- A seal discovered on a beach in Sussex County, Delaware does not appeared to be injured.

According to Suzanne Thurman, Director of the MERR Institute of Lewes, it is a Harbor Seal, which is one of the four species seen at beaches in Delaware.

It was reported to the MERR Institute late this morning in the Dewey Beach area.

Institute staff will keep watch over the seal which is alert according to Thurman.

Thurman says they cannot tell the sex of the seal without getting very close but it is a sub-adult to adult sized seal.

She says it is normal for seals to come out of the water because they do not sleep in the water.

It's condition will be monitored for the rest of the day and first thing in the morning, if the seal is still there.

If it's condition appears to have changed for the worse they may rescue it.

Thurman advises people to keep a distance from the seal so it can rest and also warns that seals can bite and transmit disease.

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