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A baby seal made an unusual appearance in downtown New Haven this weekend, surprising local residents and police who found it wandering the streets far from its natural habitat.
Officers discovered the young gray seal — estimated to be just weeks old — near the intersection of Chapel and East Street. The New Haven Police Department quickly coordinated with Mystic Aquarium’s rescue team to help the stranded marine mammal.
New England’s 6,000-mile coastline is home to several seal species that regularly visit its shores. Gray, harbor, harp, and hooded seals often use the region’s beaches for rest stops, particularly during their southern winter migration into Long Island Sound.
This little visitor wasn’t doing so well.
Veterinarians at Mystic Aquarium found the seal severely underweight at just 28 pounds — about 7 pounds less than typical for its age. The dehydrated pup appeared lethargic when rescued, but rehabilitation efforts are already underway.
While the exact path of the seal’s urban adventure remains unclear, it was found not far from Mill River, which flows into New Haven Harbor and eventually Long Island Sound. The waterway likely served as the seal’s route into the city.
Meet the newest addition to the department! pic.twitter.com/anx1ERrLQn
— New Haven Police Department (@NHPDnews) February 16, 2025
Mystic Aquarium’s team expects to release the seal back into the wild within weeks, once it regains strength and reaches a healthy weight. While seals occasionally appear on New England beaches, finding one on city streets marks an exceptionally rare occurrence.
The incident serves as a reminder of how urban development intersects with the natural habitats of marine life along Connecticut’s coast — where busy ports like Stamford, Bridgeport, and New Haven share waters with diverse marine species.
