Swedes urged to leave baby seals alone

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HALLAND, Sweden, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Police have downplayed the presence of seemingly abandoned seal pups that have folks living along the coast of southern Sweden concerned.

The seemingly helpless babies turning up on various beaches has prompted several calls to police from alarmed beachcombers, but the phenomenon is not unusual, officers said.

""There's nothing strange at all about seal pups being on their own at this time of year," said Magnus Bartholdsson of the Halland police force. "Either the mother is out fishing, or she's rejected the pups because they're old enough to get by on their own. The will be just fine as long as nobody touches them."

People were being advised to give the babies a wide berth so the mother seal won't be frightened off. "People don't understand that mamma seal is out fishing, and that she doesn't dare return to her pup because people are standing too close by, watching them," Police Officer Stefan Dahlhielm told the TT news agency.