At the Heligoland Dune The first grey seal pups of this year’s pupping season were recorded on the Heligoland Dune on 30 and 31 October 2026. The sightings, confirmed by the dune rangers and Jordsand Association, mark the start of the pupping season, which on the Dune usually runs from early November into January. Regional media reported two newborns on 2 November 2026; one was found lying alone on the North Beach .
This pup, known as a ‘heuler’, had been separated from its mother. It was rescued, as usual, and taken to the Friedrichskoog Seal Centre . The centre said the animal was initially placed in its quarantine area so that its health and ability to adapt could be assessed under controlled conditions. In the interests of animal welfare and disease prevention, details of examination findings and treatment have been withheld. The Friedrichskoog Seal Centre confirmed on 2 November 2026 that it had taken in the pup and referred to the rules in force: only authorised staff may enter the quarantine pools, and visitors will not be able to see the pups until moving them to the rearing area is medically appropriate.
The Heligoland Dune is monitored periodically by rangers from the municipality of Heligoland and the Jordsand Association. Their work is intended to prevent crowds from disturbing the colony and to protect the bond between mothers and pups. Rangers reported that the first births took place slightly earlier this year than in some previous years. Such fluctuations are not unusual, according to regional conservation groups, and may be linked to weather, food availability and the population’s age structure.
The presence of orphaned pups does not indicate a population crisis: organisations such as the Friedrichskoog Seal Centre and the Norddeich Seal Centre regularly take in orphaned pups, nurse them back to health and release them into the wild once they have recovered. Conservation agencies also urge people to keep their distance, not to touch the animals and to follow the rangers’ instructions, in order to avoid further separations from mothers.
Background: grey seals and harbour seals use the Wadden Sea and neighbouring coastal areas as nurseries. Conservation and management measures are coordinated by local conservation organisations, national park authorities and specialist rehabilitation centres. The latest sightings on the Heligoland Dune on 2 November 2026 have once again drawn attention to the annual need to follow protection rules and to the work of the rehabilitation centres.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).