Traffic on Long Beach Boulevard, a popular highway on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, came to a halt due to an unexpected visitor: a baby seal that decided to take a nap in the middle of the road. The incident occurred on February 24, when a passing driver noticed the seal and alerted local authorities. Robert Burnaford, chief of the Harvey Cedars Police Department, expressed his surprise at the unusual sighting, stating that it was something he had never encountered before.

Local police officers, along with a team from the Department of Public Works, carefully moved the baby seal to a safer location away from traffic. Chief Burnaford highlighted the effort taken to ensure the seal's safety, noting that it had traveled a considerable distance along Long Beach Boulevard from the beach, crossing three lanes of traffic before being discovered. This was a significant journey for the seal, which typically moves over land by 'galloping'.

The story serves as a reminder of the unexpected interactions between wildlife and urban environments, emphasizing the importance of wildlife protection and the efforts made by local authorities to ensure the safety of animals that wander into human-inhabited areas. It sheds light on the challenges faced by animals in their natural habitats and the need for increased awareness to prevent such occurrences in the future.