Authorities in Kotka decided to take a beached seal pup to a wildlife hospital in Helsinki after its arrival drew attention, prompting curious people to get too close to it.

The earless seal pup was first spotted on the Reitensaari beach on Wednesday and then it appeared on the shore in the Äijänniemi neighbourhood on Thursday, prompting at least two emergency calls for assistance.

According to Kymenlaakso rescue services, people disturbed the seal pup as they tried snapping photos, getting too close and letting their dogs sniff the beached animal.

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The exposure to humans would likely prevent the pup from reuniting with its mother, rescue services said.

A decision was made to transport the pup to Korkeasaari Zoo's Wildlife Hospital. Experts suspect that the animal's interaction with humans may have jeopardised its survival in the wild.

Local rescue services advised people who come across wild animals to leave them alone. They pointed out that wild animals in nature do not need human assistance or companionship — unless they are injured or clearly in distress.

Earless seal pups are born between mid-February and mid-March, with mother seals weaning their pups at about three weeks of age. Because of this the seal pups can be confused and hungry at this time of year, if they have been unsuccessful finding food on their own.

In a rare occurrence in the summer of 2022, a walrus appeared on Kotka's shores, an event which drew heavy public attention. However,the sick animal died as it was being transported to the Korkeasaari Wildlife Hospital, sparking outrage on social media.