Cannon Beach, Oregon -- An elephant seal on the north Oregon coast had officials quite concerned this week, as it lay on the beach, in the painful process of molting. Crews from the Marine Mammal Stranding Network had to stay quite vigilant in trying keep onlookers away and preventing well-meaning people from doing the wrong thing: trying to help.

The last thing this creature needed was human intervention of any kind.

Then, however, the seal died on Sunday night.

“The elephant seal that has been resting for several days near Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach passed away late last night,” said Seaside Aquarium’s Tiffany Boothe on Monday, who is also part of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. “The seal was first brought to the attention of aquarium staff on May 7th. It is not uncommon to see elephant seals in this area. Often the yearlings will rest on local beaches while they molt. Molting is a very painful and lengthy process where the seal sheds all its fur.

“Sadly this elephant seal was different from most we see. It was sick. Marine Mammal officials came down today to recover the animal and a necropsy will be done later this week.”

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