Foggy was found on a beach in the HighlandsPeople have been warned against touching or picking up seal pups they may find on beaches this summer.
The Scottish SPCA said there was a danger of healthy animals being taken from where their mother had left them while they hunted at sea.
However, the animal welfare charity added that it did expect to have to deal with large numbers of sick seals.
It asked anyone finding what they believed to be an ill pup to telephone the organisation.
Among the first casualties of the year was a young male common seal, nicknamed Foggy.
He was taken to the SSPCA's wildlife rescue centre in Fife after being picked up by a member of the public on a beach at Arisaig in Lochaber.
Centre manager Colin Seddon said: "Seal pups look very cute and appealing and good-intentioned people can mistakenly rescue perfectly healthy pups just because they are basking on the beach.
"But the mother can leave a seal pup unattended for up to five hours while she is out hunting and she may be watching from a distance.
"Anyone picking a pup up will cause distress to the mother and could harm the pup's chances of survival."
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