An animal charity received dozens of calls that a seal had become stranded on Aberdeen beach – despite the fact it was just trying to have a nap.
A small crowd gathered around the little seal pup yesterday afternoon after passers by noticed it had become unusually still.
Cheryl Rogerson and her boyfriend Jack Leonard were amongst those who spotted it on a section of beach opposite the ice rink.
Ms Rogerson, who owns the Vanity women’s boutique in Inverurie, were amongst those who became concerned after seeing the seal on a section of beach opposite the ice rink.
She said: “We were just out for a walk along the beach when we happened upon the wee seal lying on its side, looking about and closing and opening its eyes.
“It seemed to be trying to move into the water but couldn’t quite get itself to clamber into the sea, it looked quite rigid and couldn’t seem to move half of its body.
“Now that I know it was just trying to catch up on some sleep I feel a little bit stupid honestly, but he was so cute and if he really was sick or injured who knows what would have happened, so I’m glad I called the SSPCA after all.”
A spokeswoman for the SSPCA said: “We had received a number of calls about the young seal in question, and when we arrived we knew immediately that the seal was all right.
“Seals tend to just doze off wherever they like, and we have had some incidents similar to this in the past.
“But on this occasion the seal was clearly in a healthy, but sleepy, condition, so we just let the seal get on with it and left it on the beach”.