TWO newborn seal pups, rescued from a beach in the north coast of Scotland, are currently under the care of Scottish SPCA staff at Fishcross.

The orphan pups were found in Caithness on 2 November before being transported to the National Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Named Aphrodite and Typhoon, the pups are thought to be around two weeks old and are still fully-furred.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said: “Aphrodite and Typhoon are our first two grey seal pups of the season and we expect to take in many more over the next few months.

“We’re hopeful we’ll be able to return Aphrodite and Typhoon back to the wild once they are fully fit and old enough to fend for themselves.” The Scottish SPCA is urging members of the public to contact them if they see a distressed seal pup lying on the shore this winter, adding that they could be doing more harm than good by approaching it or picking it up.

Colin added: “In this case Aphrodite and Typhoon needed help but in many instances seal pups arrive in our care after being disturbed by humans, causing their mothers to abandon them.

“We’d urge people not to touch or move any seal pups they come across as there is a good chance this will cause the mother to abandon it.

“Any white coated seals found on a public beach that is not a recognised pupping ground will most likely need to be rescued but people should still contact us for advice first before approaching it.

To contact the SPCA Helpline, call 03000 999 999.