Baby Seal Joins Crowds of Surfers By Hopping on Their Boards Near San Diego Beach — Watch!

The orphaned pup spends its mornings swimming from board to board at Tourmaline Surf Park

San Diego beachgoers are trying out tandem surfing — but not with each other.

For the past week, a seal pup has been catching rides on various surfboards at Tourmaline Surf Park in California, according to CBS8.

Ed Hartel, a local photographer and drone pilot, was the first to spot the surfing seal pup. Since then, he’s been taking pictures of the seal, who appears to be orphaned.

Related: Wisconsin Man Meets Up with Wild Fish Every Summer After Befriending the Bass During a Dive

The pup has become known for hauling itself out of the water and onto a surfboard for five to ten minutes, according to Hartel. Then the little animal will paddle to a new board. This behavior usually continues through the morning.

Surfers at the park have been happy to allow the pup to occupy their boards and share their waves. Hartel said the surfers don't touch the seal and "let it do its thing."

It's unclear why the seal is keen on being around humans and learning to surf. Hartel told CBS8 that several surfers believe they saw a great white shark attack the seal pup's mom a week ago. Since then, the baby seal has stuck close to the shore near Tourmaline Park.

SeaWorld rescuers evaluated the seal pup and found that the animal showed no signs of ill health or distress. Because the young seal is mature and healthy enough to live independently, rescue officials are letting the animal be.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories

Seals are protected in California, meaning it's illegal for beachgoers to pet the pup or interfere with its day-to-day activities.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.