A grey seal that ventured into a pond in the American state of Massachusetts turned himself in to police on Friday after making waves in the neighbourhood.

Shoebert, named after the Shoe Pond which he found himself in, is believed to have travelled to the body of water from the sea via a river and drainage pipes.

He became a sensation within the local area, which is located in the city of Beverly to the northeast of Boston.

Local authorities including wildlife experts and emergency services used a combination of netting and boats to try and capture him on Thursday but failed despite several attempts.

Early on Friday morning, Shoebert left the pond, shuffled across a nearby parking lot, and presented himself at the side door of the local police department.

According to a Facebook post by the local police force, a combination of wildlife experts, firefighters, and the "entire midnight shift" of the Beverly Police Department was quickly mobilised to capture the shrewd seal.

The force described Shoebert as "in good health" at the point of capture, although he "was a little sassy in the early morning hours."

Shoebert was transported on to a local aquarium for a veterinary examination. He will then be released back into the wild.

embyy