The WEC, the new home of the Seal Centre Pieterburen, has taken in the first harbour seal pup of the summer season. The pup, named Matcha, is not only the first summer pup of the season at the WEC, but also the first summer pup to be taken in by a Dutch seal sanctuary this year.
Foto’s intake: Meike Padding
The young harbour seal was found beside a stranded sailboat on the southern side of the Richel, a sandbank near Vlieland. At around 3:00 a.m., two sailors were awakened by sounds outside their boat. When they went to investigate, they discovered a very young seal pup that was continuously calling for its mother.
The next morning, the pup was still lying by the boat. As the sailors suspected that the animal had lost its mother, they did everything they could to give the mother and her pup a chance to find each other again. They kept their distance and even went for a swim to give the pup some peace and space.
Yet the animal kept coming back to them. The pup displayed the typical searching behaviour of a young animal that has lost its mother. It kept trying to make contact with the sailors and even suckled at the boat, presumably because it was looking for its mother’s milk.
The sailors contacted the WEC. Stranding coordinator Emmy Venema remained in close contact with them throughout the morning and consulted with the vet at the Seal Centre. The pup remained by the boat, a place where a mother seal is unlikely to venture.
As moving the animal would only reduce the chances of it being reunited with its family, it was decided to help it. At the request of the WEC, the KNRM Vlieland rescued the pup from the sandbank and brought it safely ashore.
On arrival at the Seal Centre, the pup was found to weigh 10.2 kilograms. He was in good health, but was very tired. He also had no teeth yet, which indicates that he was still entirely dependent on his mother’s milk. The pup still had his umbilical cord and is estimated to be 2–4 days old.
“This is a particularly distressing situation,” says Emmy Venema, stranding coordinator at the WEC. “Normally, mother and pup recognise each other by scent and sound, but after hours of waiting, it was clear that his mother would not return to the spot where he was looking for her. That’s when you know a pup like this needs help. We are grateful to the sailors for their careful handling of the situation and would also like to thank the crew of KNRM Vlieland immensely for their swift and professional assistance in rescuing Matcha.”
With the arrival of Matcha, the summer season for harbour seals has officially begun. Hundreds of pups will be born in the Wadden Sea over the coming months. Most grow up without any problems with their mothers, but sometimes mothers and pups become separated – often due to human disturbance.
The Seal Centre therefore urges the public to leave seals in peace at all times. Keep a distance of at least 30 metres, keep dogs on a lead at all times, and ensure that the animals are not disturbed. Disturbing resting or nursing seals is a criminal offence under nature conservation legislation.
A pup that appears to be lying alone is not always abandoned; mothers are often nearby or out at sea hunting. Anyone who finds a seal pup and is concerned about the situation is asked to report it via 144, Red een Dier. The report will then be assessed by the relevant stranding coordinators, who will determine whether intervention is necessary.
As is the case every season, all the pups taken in are given names based on a shared theme. Following a winter season centred on Dutch culture, the summer of 2026 will be dedicated to Japanese culture. Matcha, named after the famous Japanese green tea, is the first puppy under this new theme.
“With this theme, we’re paying tribute to our Japanese followers and donors,” says Venema. “People in Japan follow the lives of our seals with great dedication every day. Their enthusiasm and support mean a great deal to our work. We think it’s lovely to reflect that connection in the names of the pups we’re taking in this summer.”
Over the coming period, Matcha will be given rest, food and intensive care at the Seal Centre. He can be viewed via the livestream of the Seal Centre and you can visit him daily in Lauwersoog. Once he has regained enough strength and is able to survive on his own, he will be released back into the Wadden Sea.
Would you like to help Matcha? Donate a portion of fish, become an adoptive parent or become a donor to the seal centre.
