Posted By Kimberly Wear@kimberly wear on Wed, Feb 24, 2021 at 6:35 AM click to enlarge File Seal pups are cute, but don t touch. They are just waiting for mom to return. The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center, which rescues animals along the coastlines of Humboldt and Del Norte counties, is reminding folks that it s seal pupping season. That means encounters with a young one alone on the beach are possible most likely because the mother is out foraging for food in the water and it’s important to keep a distance and keep dogs away so she will return to her pup. And absolutely no touching.