Police monitor injured seal resting on sand in Myrtle Beach

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By WPDE

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Police were monitoring a small harbor seal that swam ashore on Myrtle Beach Wednesday.

The seal came ashore around 11 a.m. near 31st Avenue North.

Wildlife officials said the animal appeared to have minor injuries from what may be a shark bite.

[ALSO READ: Girl injured in apparent shark attack near Myrtle Beach pier]

Coastal Carolina University Marine Science Professor Rob Young was on scene for much of the afternoon and said the seal is healthy and otherwise active and was not interested in immediately leaving the beach.

The seal was still resting on the beach after the sun went down, and police officers set up a perimeter around the animal to keep people from bothering it.

Police said they would stay near the seal through the night to make sure no humans harmed it.

Young said NOAA policy was to reassess the seal's condition and wildlife officials' course of action after a 24-hour period, but that would not necessarily mean moving the seal.

Officials believe the seal is just under a year old and said it would no longer be with its mother at this point.

Young said harbor seals are frequently found in the waters off South Carolina during the winter time, though they rarely choose to come ashore near downtown Myrtle Beach.

During the summer, they are more common in New England.

Myrtle Beach has had other animal encounters recently. Last week, Channel 9 reported that a well-known great white shark had been spotted near the beach.

[READ MORE: Great white sharks seem to love warmer ocean waters, not cold, surprising scientists]

“Hal,” a 12-foot long great white, has tens of thousands of followers on Twitter.

Two other sharks, "Cabot" and "Miss Costa," were spotted near Wilmington and Charleston.

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