Marine Mammal rescue team in New Hampshire steers harp seal back to ocean; she strayed too far

RYE, N.H. – Rescuers have relocated a young harp seal that strayed too far from the ocean over the weekend.

WMUR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1aYlxTz ) the New Hampshire Marine Mammal Rescue Team got involved when the female seal wasn’t heading back toward the ocean. She had been in a marsh in Rye that had tight creeks and a bridge separating it from the ocean.

Harp seals are common on icy New Hampshire shores this time of year and usually the rescue team gives them time to figure things out on their own.

Rescue co-ordinator Ashley Stokes tells the television station the healthy seal was going in the wrong direction so the humans decided to lend a hand. They coaxed her into a crate and carried her to the ocean where she was tagged and released.