A couple of beachgoers in Santa Barbara, California, helped a friendly seal pup cool down.

Brian Darling filmed as the curious pup began resting its head on his foot.

The filmer's friend is seen splashing water over the pup in an attempt to help the animal cool down.

Darling noticed that the pup wasn't moving its right flipper properly and called the local marine wildlife animal rescue officials.

"Initially we thought the seal was injured. We basically sat on the rocks at a short distance. Then the little guy noticed us and hobbled over and said 'hello'. We poured a little water on his back," Darling said.

He added: "Around 3:30 pm, a marine rescue volunteer arrived. He set up a perimeter around the pup, who was midway between the rocks and water at this time.

"He indicated the pup was about 3 to 4 months old and they leave their mothers on the Channel Islands about 5 miles out and swim to shore.

"They then start a three-week moult where they lose the black coat and grow in some other coat. They don’t eat during this time which is why they are a little skinny.

"The volunteer mentioned that he wasn’t concerned about the flipper, noting it’s normal for them to hang on the beach during the day and rest and go back in the water around sundown after the sharks stop feeding.

"The volunteer monitored and stayed with the pup. We left around 4:30 pm and the pup was still asleep on the beach and he was supervised. I don’t know if he went back in or not but I was confident that all was well and he was exhibiting normal behaviour according to the volunteer.

"We learnt after that we should not have let him approach us and
also don’t throw water on them.

"We were never aggressive and the only actual contact was when the pup came to me. I was on the rocks and didn’t want to agitate or scare him, he just hobbled over in a playful way.

"Also, he didn’t have any teeth so we were not fearful so I just sat on the rock and felt like it was a rare touching moment of connection. I had a lot of eye contact with this little guy. "

This footage was filmed on March 31.

A cute seal pup appeared injured on the beach and
When we checked him out he just wanted to play

Cute seal pup that we thought might be injured approached me and put his nose on my
Foot seemingly to say thanks for being a friend.

Initially we thought the seal was injured. We basically sat on the rocks at a short distance. Then the little guy noticed us and hobbled over..... “said hello”...... we poured a little water on his back and immediately after the “nose touch”...moments.....
we DID call Marine Wildlife animal rescue. This was about 1:30pm. Around 3:30, a marine rescue volunteer arrived. He set up a perimeter around the pup, who was midway between the rocks and water at this time.

He indicated the pup was about 3-4 months old and they leave their mothers on the Channel Islands about 5 mi out and swim to shore. They then start a 3 week molt where they lose the black coat and grow in some other coat. They don’t eat during this time which is why they are a little skinny.

The volunteer mentioned that he wasn’t concerned about the flipper....noting it’s normal for them to hang on the beach during the day and rest....and go back in the water around sundown after the sharks are not feeding.

The volunteer monitored and stayed with the pup....we left around 4;30 and the pup was still asleep on the beach and he was supervised. I don’t know if he went back in or not but was confident that all was well and he was exhibiting normal behaviour according to the volunteer.


That was not the main purpose of course of us filming this guy. We learned AFTER....that we should not have let him approach us...and A
also don’t throw water on them.

We were never aggressive and the only actual contact was when the pup came to me...I was on the rocks and didn’t want to agitate or scare him.....he just hobbled over in a playful way. Also, he didn’t have any teeth....so we were not fearful....so I just sat on the rock and felt like it was a rare touching moment of connection. I had a lot of eye contact with this little guy.