Baby seal Elke makes the garden near North Frisia unsafe!

Baby seal Elke makes the garden near North Frisia unsafe!

A baby seal conquers hearts in North Frisia

On July 12th, a family from North Frisia discovered a small seal in their garden. During their daily work around the geese, they noticed the cute little animal. Anneke Klützke, who made the discovery, suspects that the howler comes from nearby Tümlauer-Koog, where seals live in large numbers. It is estimated that the little seal traveled a distance of one and a half to three kilometers before landing in the garden. After the discovery, the family immediately contacted the Friedrichskoog seal station, which deals with such emergencies.

The baby seal, who was named Elke, is currently recovering well in the station. As NDR reports, the little marine resident has an inflammation of the navel, which is not unusual for “howlers”, which are young seals. However, she is doing well and has been able to eat all of her fish ration since July 21st. However, due to her age of around 10 to 14 days, Elke still needs a longer period of time to fully recover. She is currently in quarantine until she fully recovers.

The work of the Friedrichskoog seal station

The Friedrichskoog Seal Station is recognized as the only authorized reception center for seals in Schleswig-Holstein and an important contact point for orphaned seal babies who cannot survive without their mothers. Over 6,000 seals are born in the German Wadden Sea every year. The main birthing season has just reached its peak, and from mid-June to mid-July the breeding of seal pups is in full swing. The animal keepers in Friedrichskoog are currently caring for 153 young seals, while 111 animals are being cared for in the neighboring station in Norddeich. These numbers impressively show how the season is in full swing.

In Friedrichskoog, for example, Lønne, the first howler of 2021, was recently brought into the station and was only a day old at the time. Other Howlers are also expected in the next few weeks, meaning the station will soon have even more busy days ahead. The animals are nurtured until they are released into the wild using a strict feeding regime that takes place several times a day. Before they are released into the wild, the seals must weigh 25 kilograms and are fed 3 to 4 kilograms of fish per day during breeding.

A look at protecting seals

The seals' birthing and resting places are difficult for people to access because they are in a protected zone that is not allowed to be entered. In order not to worry the animals, it is important to keep a large distance. The little seals make contact calls to call their mothers when they are separated. The care staff in the stations are trained to create the calm, stress-free environments that are so important for the survival and recovery of the seal pups.

Elke's story and the hard work of the seal stations illustrate how important it is to protect these animals and ensure that they have a chance at a life of freedom. After all, there is nothing better than seeing our seals in the sea again - and the first steps towards their new freedom have already been taken.