New Seal Habitat at Zoo Rostock – Combining Habitat, Education and Experience
Dr. Dag Encke (VdZ-Präsident), Eva-Marie Kröger (OB Rostock), Ministerpräsidentin Manuela Schwesig, Zoodirektorin Antje Angeli und Sezai I. Candan (Architekt und Planer) bei der Eröffnung der neuen Robbenanlage im Zoo Rostock (v.l.n.r.).
© Joachim Kloock
(eap) After two years of construction, Zoo Rostock officially opened its new seal habitat last week. The modern, nature-inspired facility offers spacious aquatic and land areas for harbour seals and South African fur seals – with a central saltwater pool holding 1,550 cubic meters as its centerpiece. In addition, two backstage pools with a capacity of 140 cubic meters each, a new stable building and a high-performance technical centre complete the facility.
The project was realised with a total budget of approximately 12.5 million euros – 80 percent of which was funded by the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and supplemented by investment grants from the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock. A total of 26 companies were involved in the construction, about half of them from the region. Minister President Manuela Schwesig praised the project as a “great day for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern”, stating: “Following the Darwineum and the Polarium, the new seal habitat is another landmark at Zoo Rostock. It impressively demonstrates how modern zoos combine animal welfare, species conservation, educational work and touristic appeal at the highest level.”
At the time of opening, five animals inhabit the new facility, including Sammy, a harbour seal born in Rostock, and two South African fur seals from the zoos in Wrocław and Prague. In the long term, the addition of female fur seals is planned to enable breeding – the new habitat offers space for four adult animals of each species, not including offspring. Zoo Director Antje Angeli thanked all supporters of the project: “Despite challenging global conditions, we never lost sight of our goal.”
A special focus is placed on the newly designed exhibition area, created by Leipzig-based agency ungestalt GmbH. The interactive display provides educational insights into seal species, their habitats, and marine conservation. Large-scale silhouettes, a world globe and interactive stations on diving abilities and sensory perception enhance the educational experience. A beach-like environment with seating islands invites guests to relax and linger. ■
