| Key Activities | 🧪 Research • 📚 Public Education |
|---|---|
| Location | Am Yachthafen 3A, 18119 Rostock - Hohe Düne, Germany |
| Seal Hotline | n/a |
| Website | https://www.marine-science-center.de/home-86.html |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Species | harbor seal • California sea lion • Cape fur seal |
| Rehab & Release | ✔ (on occasion) |
| Sanctuary | ✔ (on occasion) |
| Open to Public | ✔ |
| How to Help | Donate |
| Social Media |
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Docked on a repurposed passenger ship in the harbor of Hohe Düne, the Marine Science Center (Robbenforschungszentrum) is a unique research facility operated by the University of Rostock. Since its founding in 2009 under a Lichtenberg Project funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, the center has focused on uncovering the mysteries of marine mammal perception and navigation.
Home to eleven harbor seals, two California sea lions, and one Cape fur seal – all former zoo residents – the MSC’s animals actively contribute to cutting-edge behavioral studies led by Prof. Dr. Guido Dehnhardt and Prof. Dr. Frederike D. Hanke. Together, the team has explored fascinating subjects like the hydrodynamic detection abilities of seal whiskers and how these animals navigate in murky underwater environments and along coastlines.
The MSC also welcomes the public to observe research sessions from its deck and engage with educational programs designed to deepen the understanding of marine mammal science. Though primarily a research site, the center rehabilitated a wild harbor seal in 2021 and has become an unexpectedly popular gathering spot for visiting grey seals, reflecting the ongoing recovery of Baltic seal populations.