PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is advising New Englanders to stay away from seal pups and their mothers if they encounter the animals at the beach.
Gray seals give birth to pups on islands and shores of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts from December to February.
The fuzzy pups are sometimes seen on their own while their mother is off feeding. NOAA advises residents that this is not uncommon, and the pup is likely not in danger. The agency asks beachgoers to stay away from seals and keep their pets at bay around the marine mammals.
NOAA also says the crying noise gray seal pups sometimes make is not necessarily a sign of distress. The agency says 150 feet is a safe distance for people to keep from seals.