Nature conservation
Norddeich seal station releases first pups of the season
The Norddeich seal station has released the first pups into the wild on Juist. Here is the young seal Odin. Photo
© Focke Strangmann/dpa
In the past few weeks, many pups have been brought to seal stations and nursed back to health. Now many of the little seals are starting a life in freedom again.
In Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, the release of this year’s seals has begun in recent weeks. On Juist, the young animals Reinhard, Oskar, Odin and Fridtjof were released into the wild in the afternoon after an average of 53 days of full board at the Norddeich seal station, the facility announced. All four have reached the release weight of at least 25 kilograms. In Schleswig-Holstein, the first animals were returned to the North Sea at the end of July.
The first animals found this season were discovered in both federal states in mid-May. According to the larger Friedrichskoog seal station, more than 270 young seals have been taken in for rearing since then. Young animals are currently being released into the wild almost every day in Schleswig-Holstein. In Lower Saxony, a total of around 150 pups were brought to the station there – 39 animals more than in 2023. “The intensity of disturbance caused by humans is a major factor in the separation of the young animal from its mother,” says Peter Lienau, head of the seal station. North dike.
Disturbances weaken young animals
According to the Norddeich Seal Station, the weather was actually ideal for raising the seals in the Wadden Sea. However, long weekends in the early days caused intense disturbances. Repeated disturbances mean that the young animals cannot be sufficiently nursed and cannot build up enough energy and fat reserves. Or they use up additional energy by escaping into the water and swimming.
The birthing and resting places in the national park are usually in protection zone 1 and may not be entered. People should keep as much distance as possible from the seals in order not to disturb the wild animals.
Birth time is over – young animals are now mostly independent
The Norddeich seal station points out that there have been no more pups since the beginning of August. “All of the animals that are now found alone in the wild are already independent young animals.” As a rule, they do not need their mother or human help, “they just urgently need rest.” The seals in Schleswig-Holstein start giving birth at the beginning of May, and according to the local seal station, the last births take place in isolated cases at the end of July.
According to an international agreement, the seal stations in Friedrichskoog and Norddeich are the only authorized reception centers for pups in Germany. Both facilities can be visited by visitors.