Stratford Animal Control is advising anyone who sees a baby seal on the shore in town to leave the pup be.

In a Facebook post, it wrote that people should not approach, interfere with or try to touch the seal.

Animal control says it's normal for seal pups to rest alone on the shore, which is called hauling out. Hauling out allows the pups to conserve energy, warm up and rest.

It adds that in many cases, its mother is nearby in the water and will return. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says it responded to calls Thursday about the animal. During the second call, the seal was still in the water and EnCon officers did not see anything unusual other than it was close to a road. Animal control says it received a high volume of calls Thursday about the animal and its condition. The Mystic Aquarium rescue hotline has been notified.

The pup is being monitored by aquarium staff and volunteers, who will only intervene if there are signs of injury, illness or danger. Anyone with questions or concerns is asked to call the hotline at 860-572-5955 ext. 107. The community is asked not to contact police or animal control about the seal.