Bowl seal population in the Wadden Sea: Record numbers for 2025!

Bowl seal population in the Wadden Sea: Record numbers for 2025!

This day shows that the Wadden Sea on the north German coast is not only an important habitat, but also a place of remarkable developments in the wildlife. According to the latest counts, there was a sudden increase in the gray seal population, which extends over Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, as well as Helgoland. Over the past five years, the figures of the cone seals have increased by almost 10 percent annually, which enjoys and surprises local environmentalists and researchers.

The increase in the newborn cone seals, which have increased by around 12 percent on average, is particularly impressive. Current surveys of 2024/2025 have already recorded 3,051 newborns and a total of 12,064 cone seals. This has been the highest level since the beginning of the counts in 2008. A real reason to be happy is also evident in the growth of the newborn seals, which has risen by a whopping 20 percent compared to the previous year, such as yahoo news reported.

regional inventory and trends

The distribution of the cone seals over the various regions in the Wadden Sea is also significant. Around 8,600 gray seals live in the Dutch, which corresponds to about 71 percent of the total stock. In the Wadden Sea, Lower Saxony, there are around 1,500 animals (13%) and about 1,000 (9%) on Helgoland. In Schleswig-Holstein, a remarkable plus of 74.5% was recorded in the cone seal population, while the numbers on Helgoland decreased by 37%. In the Danish Wadden Sea, on the other hand, fewer cone seals were counted, which leads to a certain discomfort.

What could be the reason for these differences? Scientists are not sure about the exact causes and require further studies to better understand the temporal and regional changes. Further attention applies to the decline in the seal population, the causes of which could also be in a possible competitive situation with the increasingly present cone seals. Ursula Siebert, an expert in this area, referred to the need for increased research efforts across national borders in order to be able to collect and evaluate data more effectively, such as Environmental portal Schleswig-Holstein

research data and methods

A closer look at the methodology of counts shows that the cone of cone seals took place from November to April. As is well known, these months fall into the time of the birth season and the change of fur. The most reliable data comes from special counting flights that have been carried out since 1989 and that not only observe the cone seals, but also the seals in the Wadden Sea. However, the data are unfiltered and require a systematic analysis for more precise inventory calculations. Here it becomes clearer how important good research is to understand the changes in these important ecosystems.

Overall, it can be seen that the Wadden Sea is not only a heart of nature, but also a place constant changes and challenges. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to secure the stocks of the cone seals and at the same time stop the declines of the seals. One thing is certain: the protection of these animals and their habitats will remain a central topic in the coming years.