Chaos as seals get stranded in Canadian town

The are concerns that the seals might starve to death if ot returned to the water soon

Chaos as seals are stranded in small Canadian town (Brendon FitzPatrick / Twitter)

Dozens of seals have become stranded in a small Canadian town, blocking traffic and the entryway of homes and businesses.

Two of the seals were killed after being run over by a car In Roddickton-Bide Arm, Newfoundland. As for the others, there are concerns that they will all starve to death.

Under Canadian law, it is illegal to interfere with marine mammals—including seals.

The seals made their way inland, and got stranded after nearby waters suddenly froze last week, preventing them from returning to sea.

Experts believe the speed at which the nearby bay froze may have unsettled the marine creatures and forced them move to land instead of heading towards open waters.

Several people posted photos on social media showing the seals stranded on roads and mounds of snow.

Sheila Fitzgerald, the Canadian town’s mayor, told CBC News that residents feel like they are “being inundated.”

“There’s seals on the road, there’s seals in people’s driveways, the backyards, the parking lots, the doorways, the businesses,” she said.

If the seals are not taken back to the ocean by wildlife personnel, there are major concerns that they will all starve to death.

“They’re pitiful to look at,” Ms Fitzgerald said. “They haven’t eaten.”

“They are 4 or 5 miles from the ocean and they are probably starving,” another witness tweeted.

Roddickton-Bide Arm’s council has requested help from the Canadian government, in the hope that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will step in and rescue the sea creatures.

The small town is considered to be a major seal migration route.

Local police said they successfully returned a seal to the ocean on Tuesday, but warns civilians from approaching the animals.

“[They] may appear to be friendly in nature, [but] it is very dangerous to approach or attempt to capture animals without proper equipment,” the region's Royal Canadian Mounted Police posted on Facebook.