Watch this photographer stumble upon wild baby seal lost in the forest, cuteness ensues when the pup gets curious about his photography equipment

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Apr 10, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

We love the idea of animals interrupting wildlife photographers. There's just something so wholesome about it. It proves time and time again that with the proper kindness, respect, and patience, animals and hoomans can coexist in peace. Plus, it's also absolutely adorable to see a bunch of fox cubs climbing all over a playfully still photographer. And now that we have social media and more photographers than ever in the world, we get to see many more of these pawdorable experiences every day.

The one below, however, is still one that we never thought we would see in our lifetime. We've seen baby seals in the Arctic, but in a forest? Never. When this wildlife photographer was out before sunset one day, they thought they saw a very soft-looking rock…until it moved! It turned out to be a lost seal pup finding its way to the sea in the forest. The pup got cutely curious about the photographer's equipment, and the rest, well, you'll have to scroll down to see what happens. Enjoy!

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  • 01
    I thought that I found a stone in the forest but then it moved
    via pataluth
  • 02
    pataluth A seal in the forest?? Grey seal/Gråsäl I went up before sunrise to see if I could find some beavers at a location where I've seen plenty of beaver signs. When I was walking | saw a big grey stone in front of me that I just ignored. Suddenly it moved and I realized that it was a seal in the middle of the forest.
    via pataluth
  • 03
    It turned out to be a seal pup
    via pataluth

  • They are so cute. So fat. So squishy. We just want to squeeze it all day, every day. Ancient homo sapiens really missed out on this opportunity. Imagine instead of doggos in the house we could have seals. Just saying.

  • 04
    Cheezburger Image 10491134976
    via pataluth
  • 05
    I couldn't even believe my own eyes and I stayed completely still for a few minutes while we looked at each other. When it looked like he didn't mind me I calmly sat down and took out my camera from the backpack.
    via pataluth

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  • 06
    until your mom comes back.
    via pataluth
  • 07
    I laid on my stomach and got plenty of pictures when the seal started to crawl towards me, eventually getting too close for me to use my big camera. He even came up to my tripod and gave it a good sniff.
    via pataluth
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10491131904
    via pataluth
  • 09
    He stayed right next to me, probably like 20 centimeters away, for a little while before he kept crawling in the other direction. I remained in my position until the seal eventually entered the river and swam away.
    via pataluth
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10491132160
    via pataluth
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10491132928
    via pataluth
  • 12
    This is not the end of this encounter but it's too long for me to include it all in one video. It has a happy ending though, I can tell you that much.
    via pataluth
  • 13
    "This is my spot"
    via pataluth
  • 14
    milanibelunga But after? Her mom came back or not? I'm worried.
    via milanibelunga
  • 15
    pataluth @milanibelunga I was worried too, but I did some googling and apparently the are abandoned at this age to fend for themselves. She looked healthy and well fed so I don't think we need to worry
    via pataluth
  • 16
    jae_manifest The urge to pet it would've been unbearable.
    via jae_manifest

  • We would not have been able to resist the urge to pet it. This is why we can't be a wildlife photographer - every time we saw something cute, we would ooooooh and awwww over how cute it was. Stealth is not one of our fortes. 

  • 17
    _mitchmcpherson I would have definitely called this one in brother. I hope you did. Moms do leave to go hunt, but if you never saw her come back you don't know for sure if she is still present in its life or if the baby seal is ready and equipped to be on it's on yet. Super epic sighting man! Congrats on the experience
    via _mitchmcpherson
  • 18
    hurricaneelsa.wj Seal: I'm going to come invade your personal space and then hiss at you for being in my bubble % He must identify as a cat
    via hurricaneelsa.wj
  • 19
    afterartist Cat distribution system looking a little funky but I'll take it
    via afterartist
  • 20
    brothers_in_south_of_france_ It really made the effort to come to you to hiss at you and then side eye you hahaha, very cute
    via brothers_in_south_of_france_
  • 21
    marshataiyou Thanks for turning these stories into a Reel! What you experienced is truly special ##
    via marshataiyou
  • 22
    missamissamissa He came all that way just to talk some smack.
    via missamissamissa
  • 23
    via pataluth

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Tags

aww wholesome Forest adorable baby animals wild animals seal seals cute animals cute curious lost animals wild photographer
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