Seals at Ecomare

At Ecomare you can see seals up close. They are fed at 11.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. A special moment to witness! During the feedings, the animals caretaker talks about these exceptional animals. Did you know that seals ‘see’ under water using their whiskers? They can feel a fish swimming past from dozens of meters away.

Seal sanctuary

Every year, Ecomare cares for around 100 young, sick, weakened or wounded seals. When they are healthy, they go back to the sea. At Ecomare, you can follow the entire seal care process close up. The smallest and weakest seals remain in the special seal quarantines. These areas are specially designed for the recovery of the seals. There is under floor heating, extra options for hygiene and when their condition allows it, the animals can swim in their own pool. This quarantine area isn’t too large so the animals can save all their energy for getting better. From behind glass, you can watch how they are cared for. When they recover, the seals move to the roomier outdoor bassins.  Here you can see them swimming, playing and sun-bathing. At this stage, the seals only need to gain weight so that they can take care of themselves when they return to the wild.

Huiler Kees krijgt melk via een slang

Permanent care

At Ecomare, there are also seals that can’t return to the wild. Most of them are very old, are blind or are missing teeth. There are also a few younger animals, which aren’t capable of surviving in nature due to various circumstances. At Ecomare, they are cared for their entire life.