Baby seal dies after woman carries it home from beach in plastic bag

A seal pup has died after a woman carried it off a beach in a plastic bag in Westport, Washington.

The baby seal was pictured lying across the shopping tote used to carry it after state wildlife officials were forced to euthanize it after it was determined to be unresponsive and lethargic.

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According to ABC News, the woman mistakenly thought the harbour seal pup has been abandoned.

NOAA public affairs officer Michael Milstein said: "She then took it home and realised she really didn't know what to do for it or how to take care of it. She later called the local aquarium, Westport Aquarium, which is part of our network of volunteers."

As harbour seals are being born in the Pacific Northwest this time of year, marine mammal advocates are urging people not to touch or pick up pups that come up on beaches and shorelines to rest.

At least five times this season, well-meaning people have illegally picked up seal pups in Oregon and Washington thinking they were abandoned or needed help, but that interference ultimately resulted in two deaths, Milstein said.

Marc Myrsell, director of Westport Aquarium, told ABC that the seal was alive but "extremely lethargic" when he arrived at the woman's home.

"Usually these animals will snap and struggle to get away if you try to approach them, but this pup was so lethargic," Myrsell said. "Putting him in the carrier to take him to a centre was like picking up a sleeping human baby."