Yes, that’s a pun, and not a typo for ‘low ceilings.’ A 450-pound bearded seal disrupted airport operations at Utqiagvik, Alaska, when it decided to lie down for a rest on the runway.
The city, formerly known as Barrow, is the northernmost city in the United States, and relies heavily on the airport for transportation and supplies. It’s on the north coast of Alaska, and the nearest road is 200 miles away.
Airport workers who found the seal while clearing the runway called animal control officials because airport crew are not allowed to handle marine mammals. The seal was removed on a sled.
The seal was the first of its kind on the runway, but birds, caribou, polar bears and musk oxen have visited in the past.
