The Stress-Eating Seal Visiting New York is All of Us

Your daily dose of dopamine is brought to you today by the sweetest tourist to visit New York in 2023: a wandering harp seal from the arctic.

Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) in Suffolk County, NY recently responded to a call about a "potentially injured seal" in Babylon Village. In a revelation that makes harp seals way more similar to humans than I'd ever suspected, experts warned the officers that seals like these "stress easily"... so the next few steps were very important.

Harp Seals in New York

The officers were advised by seal-ologists (that's the term, right?) at the New York Marine Rescue Center that they were likely dealing with a male harp seal who had become stressed. Also similar to humans, this condition can lead to a type of "stress eating" that can be very harmful to their bodies.

"Stressed" Harp Seal Needed ECO Rescue

Instead of pizza and chocolate, stressed seals often eat items like rocks and sand, and these types of non-edible materials can wreak havoc on the cute animal's internal organs. So after officers "spent a few days providing security" for the seal by setting up a barrier to allow onlookers to watch the lil' guy from a safe distance, it was transported to the New York Marine Rescue Center facility to be rehydrated.

SEE ALSO: [VIDEO] No Way! This Famous Fish Lives Right Here in New York

Land or sea, there is never a shortage of interesting (and often adorable) animals in New York. While critters like foxes and beavers may be commonplace, other creatures like the impressive pufferfish (which is generally associated with tropical waters) also call the Empire State home. There's even a diverse range of therapy animals. Check out which cuties you can hike with below.