Seal boom on Helgoland: Over 2,000 gray seals and lots of babies!

Seal boom on Helgoland: Over 2,000 gray seals and lots of babies!

There's a lot going on in the animal kingdom on Helgoland at the moment: around 2,000 gray seals have settled on the island and delight the few tourists who visit the beaches during the cold winter months. NDR reports 200 more seal pups have been born this year than in the entire last winter season. Dune ranger Michael Janßen reports a total of 1,968 gray seals that were counted on the dune. This is a positive sign of the revival of the species, which has become firmly established in northern Germany.

The little seals are happy about every wave, but visitors have to be vigilant. A seal pup was recently born on the south beach, and there is a strict rule: a distance of 30 meters should be maintained because the gray seals defend their pups with all their might. The winter period, when the animals give birth from mid-November to January, attracts not only the seals, but also the attention of walkers and nature lovers.

The comeback of the gray seals

The gray seal, Germany's largest predator, was critically endangered in the 20th century. Who would have thought that hunting these fascinating animals would be banned in the 1970s, leading to an amazing comeback? Since the first sightings on Helgoland in 1989, the population has grown continuously. For traveling pleasure we learn that 1,426 gray seals were counted on the dune in the winter of 2021/2022, with 679 births in the same season.

Winter may be cold and uncomfortable, but it is the peak season for seal viewing on the Heligoland Dune, which stretches over 1,000 meters. There, attentive visitors can observe the animals from a safe distance. The rangers on site ensure that the distance is maintained and have already rescued orphaned seal pups to take them to the seal station in Friedrichskoog.

Growing population and interesting statistics

Current counts show that the gray seal population in the Wadden Sea continues to grow. Nord24 reports that a total of 12,064 gray seals were recorded in the 2024/2025 counting season. This is an increase of about 10 percent per year, while the number of newborn gray seals is increasing by 12 percent annually. A positive development for the sustainability and protection of this animal species in the German Wadden Sea.

The diverse regional distribution of gray seals shows that the islands and coasts in Germany provide habitat for these animals. The latest figures show that gray seal populations are increasing particularly strongly in the Netherlands and Schleswig-Holstein, while Helgoland has seen the number of animals decline by 37 percent. Experts are calling for more research into gray seal behavior to better understand their habitat and lifestyle.

The gray seals not only remain crowd pullers in winter, but also attract attention in the warmer months. With their return to the North Sea, they are a sign of the region's healthy ecosystem and a wonderful reason to visit and protect the beaches of Helgoland.