Meet the seals at Nordsøen Oceanarium
It's always a highlight to visit the playful and charming seals at the Nordsøen Oceanarium. On this page you can get to know the seals better, and even learn to recognize them from each other.
Sælfies
Which of the seals love ice bombs, who makes bubbles in the water to get attention and who is dating Luffe? Read more below and learn more about the cute seals at Nordsøen Oceanarium.
Thor
Born: July 10th
Marital status: Single (but fond of ladies)
Characteristics: Very dark fur
Thor was a gift from the Fisheries and Maritime Museum and came to Nordsøen Oceanarium in June 2013. He looks a lot like Maria, but has a wider head. Thor is a calm guy, but very attentive. He has cataracts in both eyes and therefore can hardly see anything, but this is not a hindrance for Thor. Seals don't use their sense of sight that much.
Laura
Date of birth: 1999
Marital status: Married to Luffe and mother of their 4 children Lene, Else, Tulle and Selma
Characteristics: Many scars on her back and nose
Laura is a gray seal and was found on the beach at Hirtshals. She always stays furthest away and is much more shy than the others. If Laura wants to get the trainers' attention, she will snort or blow bubbles. One of Laura's cubs, Else, lives in the Fisheries and Maritime Museum in Esbjerg and her other cub, Tulle, in the Kattegat Center in Grenaa.
Lene
Born: January 26, 2010
Marital status: Single
Characteristics: Small scar on her nose under her left eye
Lene looks a lot like her sister Selma. Her eyes are slightly lighter than Selma's. The spots on her body and around her nose are more diffuse than Selma's spots.
Selma
Born: 22. January 2012
Marital status: Single
Characteristics: Small "heart" on the left side of her neck
Looks very similar to her sister Lene. Black muzzle with sharp lines from the bridge of her nose down towards her mouth. Selma loves to play with toys and ice bombs.
Feedings & training
Discover the feedings
Low season:
11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
High season:
12 noon and 4 pm
When you visit Nordsøen Oceanarium, it is a must to see the playful seals being fed. The seals are fed herring, mackerel, blue whiting and squid.
Training
Seals are trained every day and variety is important, otherwise they get bored very quickly. Seals are very smart. The trainers alternate between fun exercises, like splashing in the water with their flippers or jumping in the air, and exercises that are important to check their health. This includes touching them on different parts of their body, opening their mouths and checking their eyes. The training is a voluntary collaboration between the trainer and the seals, who get a reward every time they do something right.