Airport foreman spots seal sunbathing on tarmac

AIRPORT foreman Scott Babcock was greeted by an unlikely, but cute, visitor when he went to clear snow on the runway.

WHEN airport foreman Scott Babcock went out onto the runway at Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport in Utqiagvik, Alaska, on Monday to clear some snow, he was greeted by an unlikely visitor: a 450-pound bearded seal.

“It was very strange to see the seal. I’ve seen a lot of things on runways, but never a seal,” Babcock told ABC News.

He said he expected the animal to perhaps be “a small spotted seal, not a 450-pound Oogruk.”

Airport staff are not allowed to handle marine animals, so Mr Babcock called wildlife control to safely remove his new friend — but not before he captured a video and shared it to Facebook. It has been viewed more than 140,000 times.

“That’s crazy. I chased a lot of things off the runway but never one of them (sic),” another airport worker commented on the video.

“Let me know when there is an opening up there.”

Alaska’s Department of Transportation & Public Facilities even poked fun at the uniquely Alaskan experience, warning of “low sealings” at the airport — a pun on “low ceilings,” a term used to describe low clouds and poor visibility.

“This big guy decided to do a little wintertime sunbathing on the Barrow Airport runway yesterday. #alaskaproblems North Slope Borough Animal Control eventually removed the seal and air traffic was able to resume. Aircraft operators should continue to be aware of low sealings at our North Slope facilities,” it joked.

North Slope Borough Animal Control came out to the airport and moved the seal using a heavy-duty snow blower and a sled.