This seal was ready for beach season.
A seal frolicked on a Coney Island beach Wednesday before it was guided back to the water after being spotted by an eagle-eyed City Hall staffer.
The light-colored sea creature wrestled around at Coney Island Creek Park before Elijah Hutchinson, the executive director for the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, noticed the seal appearing distressed near the shore as he walked to a nearby community event with in Brooklyn.
“It kind of blended in with the sand,” Hutchinson told The Post.
Hutchinson called the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation for help.
A police officer with the DEC located the mammal around the sand dunes near Coney Island Creek Park and sent photos and videos to the non-profit New York Marine Rescue Center, which determined it was a harp seal and in good condition, the state agency said.
The DEC watched over the seal for hours to make sure other animals or people didn’t go near it before the Sea Gate Police Department reported it safely found its way into the water, the agency said.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams shared footage of the adorable flipper Thursday afternoon while commending Hutchinson and state workers.
“This gets my seal of approval!” Hizzoner said in a social media post.
“Yesterday, @NYCClimate’s Elijah Hutchinson found this guy beached on Coney Island and called in the experts at @NYSDEC. After a quick checkup, they determined the seal was healthy and guided him back toward the water.”
The DEC said seals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and urged the public to stay at least 150 feet away from underwater animals.
