An animal charity is urging visitors to a north-east harbour to keep their distance from its resident baby seal.
The playful pup has become something of a fixture in Portsoy in recent weeks and even joined the local rowing club during a recent practice session.
But in a heart-breaking turn of events it has emerged the seal has become a target for young thugs, with reports of children throwing stones in recent days.
The move has prompted volunteer group Ythan Seal Watch, who usually keep an eye on the protected colony at Newburgh, to step in.
They believe the female pup has been rescued previously and is struggling to cope as it deals with its return to the sea.
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Lee Watson, one of the organisers from Ythan Seal Watch, said it is important for anyone visiting Portsoy harbour to keep away as it returns to the wild.
He said it was “unacceptable” that the baby was being targeted by a gang of youngsters.
Mr Watson said: “We were up in Portsoy a few weeks ago and she seems to be confident around people.
“She has a tag and it seems like she hasn’t made the natural switch back her natural environment after being rescued.
“A seal would normally turn and hiss when people get too close, but she is not doing that and that is a concern.
“There have been a lot of locals who have taken to her. We really just want to keep her and everyone else safe.”
Mr Watson said some people from Portsoy are looking out for the seal, but he believes it is best to keep a safe distance.
He said: “The most important thing is to always give her safe space.
“She will feel safe if she knows she can get to the water if needed. She may stress if surrounded.
“As timid as she looks, however, all seals can and will bite or snap at anything too close.”
The north-east is an important and protected habitat for Scotland’s seal population.
About a thousand large grey seals reside on the Newburgh coast, with the Forvie Nature Reserve a designated haul-out site.
That makes it an offence to intentionally or recklessly harass seals in that zone, though there have been issues of disturbances, caused by off-the-leash dogs in recent weeks.
They are also a regular sight in the region’s harbours, with one regular visitor to Fraserburgh Harbour in April sunning itself on a pontoon at the lifeboat station.
Crews had to wait for it to re-enter the water before they could board their vessel.
