Things are getting a little wild on a North Bay highway today, as an elephant seal has been off and on blocking traffic all afternoon, and has allegedly attacked at least one car in the process.
The San Francisco Chronicle notes that starting around 1 p.m. the California Highway Patrol began receiving reports of a large seal blocking traffic on Highway 37 near Sears Point in Sonoma County, and that at least one caller told CHP the seal was attacking a car.
Officer Andrew Barclay, a CHP spokesman, told the Chron that the seal was "very large, very determined," and continued that every time CHP has managed to get the seal back in the water, the animal makes a play for the highway again.
“He’s back in the water now, “ the officer explained around 2 p.m. “But he seems very committed to crossing the roadway. Every time we get him in the water he waits until we walk away and he’s right back up on land.”
The Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito dispatched a rescue team to help, reports the paper.
Please leave your "why did the elephant seal cross the road" jokes in the comments below.
A seal is blocking the left lane on EB Hwy 37 after Sears Point. #CHP says the seal was attacking a vehicle. You can't make this stuff up.
— Carolyn Copeland (@Carolyn_Copes) December 28, 2015
