Seal pup rests on Helsinki boat ramp as sailors give way

A young grey seal pup, known locally as a kuutti, hauled itself onto a boat launch ramp in Helsinki’s Lauttasaari district on Sunday, prompting sailors to reroute as the animal rested for hours before returning to the sea, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The pup, estimated to be about a month old, was first spotted lying on the asphalt roughly three metres from the water by members of a local sailing club. Ria Savolainen, who was preparing her boat at the time, described the seal as appearing exhausted, breathing heavily and groaning.

“We thought it might die right there,” Savolainen told Yle. The pup had apparently crawled up from the water onto the ramp used for launching boats. Concerned sailors contacted emergency services and the Korkeasaari Zoo’s wildlife hospital, which advised leaving the animal undisturbed.

“They told us the pup was just very tired—seals tire out from swimming so much and need long rests,” Savolainen said. Club members placed warning triangles around the seal to prevent boats from accidentally driving over it, as the ramp is frequently used for launching vessels. Sailors arriving at the site redirected their activities after noticing the pup and the markers.

The seal remained in place for several hours, occasionally sniffing at the warning triangles before eventually swimming back into the water. “It slept there for a while, then headed home,” Savolainen said.

Emergency services and police also visited the site around midday to assess the pup’s condition, consulting with wildlife experts. “The seal was fine and will continue living in nature, where it belongs. There’s no cause for alarm,” confirmed duty fire chief Petri Korhonen.

Grey seal pups in Finland are typically born in late winter and become independent by April, according to Korkeasaari Zoo. While pups resting on shorelines are usually healthy and should not be disturbed, intervention may be needed if an animal appears severely underweight or stranded far from water. The zoo advises contacting wildlife rescue services for guidance in such cases.