3-day-old seal pup rescued on New York's Long Island

A 3-day-old harbour seal pup has been rescued on New York's Long Island and taken to a marine mammal hospital.

The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation says it received several calls about a distressed seal pup Saturday morning.

The female pup was struggling against the surf at The Sands, a banquet facility in Atlantic Beach. The pup was 2½ feet (0.6 meters) long and her umbilical cord was still attached.

She was taken to the foundation's marine mammal hospital in Riverhead, where she's being fed formula.

It's uncertain if the pup was abandoned or if crowds of people on the beach may have kept the mother away.

Harbour seals are protected under the federal law, and it is unlawful to approach, handle or feed them.