Adorable Gray Seal Found Stranded On Runway At JFK Airport in New York

My Grandfather was a very successful, part-time, fisherman. He loved it so much that he retired to Florida so that he could fish every day of the year. When asked what his secret to success was he would say "fish where the fish are". Makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is spotting a young gray seal on a runway at JFK Airport in Queens, New York but that is exactly what happened earlier this month. How did it get there? Was the little guy trying to catch a flight? Here's what happened.

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On March 19th, according to a post of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Facebook page, a young gray seal was seen resting on a closed runway at JFK International Airport.

New York State DEC Police Officers responded to the call and teamed up with Airport Operations and wildlife staff to see if they could safely capture the seal, examine his condition and hopefully get him back where he belongs.

Authorities were able to capture the gray seal and get him to the New York Marine Rescue Center in Riverhead, NY. Once the seal was examined by a veterinarian he was marked with a flipper tag and released on a beach in Suffolk County.

The gray seal was not available for comment so we are unsure as to how he ended up at the airport. New York State DEC officials suggest, should you see a stranded marine mammal in New York contact the New York State Stranding Hotline at 631-369-9829.