Sammy has a habit of appearing on people unexpectedly and tries to get onto their surf board, kayak or on people’s back as they are swimming.

When Will Badman drove to Weymouth Beach in Dorset, UK, one morning last year, it wasn’t to catch the sunrise. He was searching for Sammy, the pleasant seal that has made the beach his house for over two months.

Sammy first appeared on the beach throughout the peak of quarantine, when few people were out of their homes. It seemed to be the best location for the young seal to fish and rest on the sand.

But as restrictions loosened and the weather got warmer, Sammy found his beach crowded with people– which, surprisingly, really did not appear to bother him one bit.

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In fact, he seemed identified to make friends.

” Sammy has a habit of popping up on people unexpectedly and attempts to get onto their surfboard, kayak or on people’s back as they are swimming,” Badman told The Dodo.” [He] appears to like the cams … when he comes onto the beach to rest.”

Throughout Badman’s go to, he used a lengthy lens to photo Sammy so he would not need to get too close, but the seal seemed to recognize he was the center of attention. He played hide-and-seek with the photographer as well as swing, smiling and sticking out his tongue to cup for the camera.

When Sammy gets tired of swimming, he delights in hitching rides on paddleboards. That way, he can warm up and rest without the difficulty of swimming back to shore.

Sammy does not seem to mind the business, and will certainly usually cozy up to the riders.

A group of volunteers has formed to help protect Sammy, that has now become a local celeb. Though the young seal can be friendly, he is still a wild animal and must not be touched or interfered with ( in spite of his best shots). It’s advised that people see from a range, curb their dogs, and not approach the animal.

Thanks to the volunteers, Sammy continues to enjoy his temporary house and delight everybody who sees.

” He was great to see and is not something that we normally have in this part of the UK,” Badman claimed. “I took a trip an hr to go and see him and it was well worth it.”