The runway at the airport at Utqiagvik, Alaska's northernmost city, was blocked last week by a huge seal which was believed to be 450 pounds. The animal shocked airport workers when they were clearing the runway of snow.

A photo and a video of the bearded seal lounging on the runway was shared by Scott Babcock on Facebook. Thousands of social media users viewed the video shared by the airport worker.

“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, adding that he expected the animal to perhaps be "a small spotted seal, not a 450-pound Oogruk."

Traffic had to be delayed while animal control came to remove the seal. Babcock said that airport staff is "not allowed to handle or haze marine mammals." The seal was moved by North Slope Borough Animal Control by using a heavy-duty snow blower and a sled, reports said.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities also wrote on its Facebook page about the visit by the seal.

“This big guy decided to do a little wintertime sunbathing on the Barrow Airport runway yesterday,” the post began. “#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.”

The workers have seen birds, caribou, polar bears, and musk ox on the runway but the seal sighting was a first, Meadow Bailey, the department’s communications director said, according to the New York Post.

“Wildlife strikes to aircraft pose a significant safety hazard and cost the aviation industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year,” Bailey said. “Birds make up over 90 percent of strikes in the U.S. while mammal strikes are rare.”

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