Why do seals come ashore?

Seals come ashore to rest, breed, nurse and raise pups, molt, or avoid predators.

How far should I stay from a seal on the beach?

Keep people and pets at least 50 yards away. Move farther away if the seal looks at you, vocalizes more, moves away, waves its flippers, or yawns more.

What should I not do near a seal on the beach?

Do not approach, touch, handle, feed, move, or return the seal to the water. Keep dogs leashed and away.

Seal on the beach

Give a seal on the beach space

A seal on the beach in Surfside Beach may be resting. Keep people and pets at least 50 yards away. Report excessive blood, open wounds, seizures, disorientation, severe thinness, or entanglement through the NOAA report page.

Sources checked August 24, 2026: NOAA guidance for seals that may need help (opens in a new tab) and NOAA marine life viewing guidelines (opens in a new tab) and NOAA Share the Shore guide for New England and the Mid-Atlantic (opens in a new tab) and NOAA marine life report page (opens in a new tab) .

Your four choices

Stay 50 yards away

Stay at least 50 yards away. Keep pets leashed and away from the seal.

Leave the seal where it is

Do not approach, touch, handle, or move the seal. Do not return it to the water.

Watch for disturbance

If the seal reacts to you or changes its behavior, move farther away. These are signs of disturbance or agitation.

Know when trained help may apply

From a distance, note excessive blood, open wounds, seizures, disorientation, severe thinness, or entanglement. Use the NOAA report page so trained responders can assess these signs.

What this page covers

This record gives general guidance for viewing a seal on shore and recognizing signs that trained responders should assess.

It does not report a local sighting, identify a species, diagnose the seal, prescribe treatment, promise an outcome, authorize handling, or provide a phone number.

Source: NOAA guidance for seals that may need help (opens in a new tab) · Source: NOAA marine life viewing guidelines (opens in a new tab) · Source: NOAA Share the Shore guide for New England and the Mid-Atlantic (opens in a new tab) · Source: NOAA marine life report page (opens in a new tab)

Seal on the beach questions

Why do seals come ashore?: Seals come ashore to rest, breed, nurse and raise pups, molt, or avoid predators.; Source: NOAA guidance for seals that may need help (opens in a new tab)
How far should I stay from a seal on the beach?: Keep people and pets at least 50 yards away. Move farther away if the seal looks at you, vocalizes more, moves away, waves its flippers, or yawns more.; Sources: NOAA marine life viewing guidelines (opens in a new tab), NOAA Share the Shore guide for New England and the Mid-Atlantic (opens in a new tab)
What should I not do near a seal on the beach?: Do not approach, touch, handle, feed, move, or return the seal to the water. Keep dogs leashed and away.; Sources: NOAA guidance for seals that may need help (opens in a new tab), NOAA marine life viewing guidelines (opens in a new tab)
When should I seek trained help for a seal?: Contact trained responders if you see excessive blood, open wounds, seizures, disorientation, severe thinness, or entanglement. A lone pup may have a mother feeding offshore, so do not assume it is abandoned.; Sources: NOAA guidance for seals that may need help (opens in a new tab), NOAA Share the Shore guide for New England and the Mid-Atlantic (opens in a new tab), NOAA marine life report page (opens in a new tab)