Seal Pup Rescued On Long Island Beach; How Is 3-Day-Old Penny Doing? [VIDEO]

Saturday June 1 on a beach in Long Island, New York a 3-day-old seal pup was found believed to be abandoned and taken to a marine mammal hospital. The female pup still had part of the umbilical cord attached when she was found. The rescuers are not sure if the pup was abandoned or if the crowd of people gathered near the seal scared off her mother.

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According to NBC New York, the River Head Foundation for Marine Research received a number of calls about the seal pup, now called Penny, on Saturday morning. Penny the seal pup was found struggling against the surf at The Sands in Atlantic Beach.

Penny is two and a half feet long, and marine rescuers hope to reintroduce her to the wild when she is strong enough and eating solid food. Right now the marine research center has the baby seal on formula. She is reported to be in stable condition and doing well.

Science World Report says that Atlantic Harbor seals, like Penny, "can be found along the North Atlantic coasts from Canada and Greenland all the way through New York." Science World Report also says that some Atlantic harbor seals have been spotted as far south as Florida. An Atlantic Harbor seal like Penny can grow between 150 and 300 pounds. A male harbor seal can grow as long as six-feet.

Harbor Seals are not an endangered species. The population remains stabilized. It is, however, against federal law to approach, touch or feed an Atlantic Harbor seal.

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.