The gray seal pup exploring Cape Elizabeth. Cape Elizabeth Police Department

A gray seal was spotted exploring Cape Elizabeth on Monday morning, Jan. 23, not once, not twice, but three times.

At around 1:30 a.m., a public works employee plowing the Oakhurst Road neighborhood about a quarter-mile from the ocean, reported the seal wandering the area. A police officer came and caught the seal before bringing him to Fort Williams Park.

The officer also contacted Marine Mammals of Maine, a nonprofit organization federally authorized for the rescue, response, care, research, and education of marine mammals and sea turtles. The seal was confirmed to be in stable condition with a plan to evaluate him in the light of morning.

At about 7 a.m., the seal was seen “traversing down Shore Road, possibly following that delicious scent of Cookie Jar doughnuts being baked,” wrote the Cape Elizabeth Police Department in a Facebook post.

The seal was once again captured and released at Fort Williams Park.

Yet only an hour later, the seal returned to wander the park. An officer and several citizens managed to bring him to the sea once again.

Soon after, the seal was collected by Marine Mammals of Maine. The organization found that he was recently weaned from his mother and was struggling on his own.

“He is underweight and will remain at our hospital for much-needed nutrition and care until ready for release,” Marine Mammals of Maine said in a Facebook post. “He is the second seal from Cape Elizabeth currently at our center. After all his adventures over the last 24 hours, he has spent the entire day sleeping and suckling his flippers.”

On Tuesday, the organization reported that the seal is “much brighter and much less exhausted,” after fluid, nutrition, and a safe place to sleep. He has been put together with another underweight gray seal pup. Marine Mammals of Maine will continue to take care of the seals as they get stronger.

Two gray seal pups with Marine Mammals of Maine, including the one that explored Cape Elizabeth. Courtesy of Marine Mammals of Maine