MSC Wildlife

For a number of years now wild seals can be observed swimming in the direct vicinity of the Marine Science Center or hauling out on the outer pontoons of the enclosure. Interactions between our seals inside and the wild animals outside the enclosure could be observed.

In the wider surroundings of the Marine Science Center an adult female harbour seal called Horst could often be seen hauled out on Hohe Düne beach where she did express no signs of fear of humans. She also could be observed hunting inside and outside the marina. During the summer of 2012 another young harbour seal joined her. However, unfortunately both seals died within one week in mid September. The causes of their deaths remain unknown.

In spring 2016 we had an exotic flying guest - an inca tern.

During the summer of 2021 a wild young male harbour seal was brought to us since it had been abandoned by its mother. When the seal came to our facility he was about a week and a half old and weighed 9 kg. He was in a bad condition since he was malnourished but fortunately otherwise healthy and unharmed. The little fighter soon got bigger and stronger. On October 6th he was successfully released into the Baltic Sea. If you observe one or more seals in the marina or in the vicinity of our facility we kindly aks you to respect the needs of these wild animals by refraining from calling, feeding or luring them.

In spring 2022 we had a rather unusual visitor in form of a red fox.