Baby seal back in wild after rescue crossing N.J. highway

MANTOLOKING, N.J. (CBS) -- Here's something you don't see every day, but it's reportedly not the first time either. A baby seal was rescued trying to cross Route 35 near Curtis Point Drive on Monday night, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said.

The seal was found by Brick Township Police Department officers.

Police stopped traffic to allow the seal to safely cross the road. It then entered the backyard of a home on Ocean Avenue, where it remained until a Marine Mammal Stranding Center worker arrived.

The 36-pound seal was brought to the animal rescue and examined.

The stranding center says the seal had no signs of injury and was released back into the wild.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center says this wasn't the first time it's happened.

"Another case of how sometimes Grey seal pups do the darndest things," the animal rescue wrote on Facebook Tuesday. "This actually isn't the first time we have had a Grey seal pup try to cross Route 35 due to its close proximity to both the bay and ocean."

On Wednesday, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center provided more information on seals crossing the road.

"Many people have asked about this unusual behavior. We have had MANY cases over the past 45 years of seals, especially Grey seals, taking a wrong turn and wandering up beach access paths to backyards, parking lots, and roadways," the rescue wrote on Facebook. "Typically we see at least one case of a wayward pup stranding in an unusual location every seal season. These pups are born on islands, so when they get lost, their instinct is to keep wandering until they find a body of water."

People can report seal road crossing sightings by calling the Marine Mammal Stranding Center's hotline at 609-266-0538.

In:
• New Jersey
• Brick Township
• Ocean County