It’s not uncommon to spot deer on California’s Monterey Peninsula, but it’s quite rare to see the cautious animals strolling on the beach and playing in the surf.
The accompanying footage, captured recently by Liz Selbicky, shows several deer emerging onto the sand and dipping their hooves into the water.
Some are shown following receding waves and turning to run from the advancing surge, as might a child or a dog.
“I’ve lived here my entire life and I’ve never seen deer frolic through the ocean like this,” Selbicky told KSBW 8.
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Selbicky explained to Viral Hog: “I was getting ready to go surfing inside Pebble Beach near Spanish Bay when I noticed a family of deer dart across a 17-mile drive from the golf course down to the beach.
“The younger deer appear to be playing in the water as the buck seems to try and get them to move along.”
The ocean temperature was 52 degrees, apparently not too cold for deer or surfers.