Behind the Ecomare Staff Blog: Turning Weekly Experiences into Learning Stories

Curious how a moment at the seal basin or a question beside the beach finds cart becomes a story you’ll remember? The Ecomare staff blog shares weekly experiences and turns them into clear, engaging lessons about the sea, wildlife and our exhibits. In this behind-the-scenes look, you’ll learn what the Ecomare staff blog is, where its ideas originate across our grounds, and how those short posts help you get more from your visit—and from the Wadden Sea itself.

What is the Ecomare staff blog?

The Ecomare staff blog is a weekly series in which staff write about their on-site experiences and observations. Recent entries—such as posts dated 4 June, 28 May and 21 May—show how these personal encounters become concise learning stories for readers.

In plain terms: the Ecomare staff blog is a weekly window into life at Ecomare, written to help you understand animals, exhibits and the changing coast through real moments.

Where our stories begin: Ecomare in action

Great learning stories start with great places to observe. Ecomare’s daily work with animals and its hands-on exhibits naturally spark the themes and questions you’ll find in the Ecomare staff blog.

Seal sanctuary: care you can follow up close

• Ecomare cares for around 100 young, sick, weakened or wounded seals each year. When they are healthy, they return to the sea.
• The smallest and weakest seals recover in special quarantines designed for hygiene and warmth; when they’re stronger, they swim in their own pool. You can watch their care from behind glass.
• As they progress, seals move to roomier outdoor basins where they swim, play and sun-bathe while gaining weight for release.
• Don’t miss the seal presentation at 11 am and 3.30 pm—a perfect time to watch behavior and gather the kind of details that often inspire blog posts.

Why it matters: Visitors often ask how rehabilitation works and how we know when a seal is ready for release. These are the kinds of practical questions the blog translates into short, readable explanations grounded in what happens here every day.

Sea Aquarium: feeding time is learning time

• Descend to the Sea Aquarium to meet fish, crabs, starfish and anemones.
• The Feeding Presentation happens daily at 2.30 p.m. The animal caretaker offers a mix—pieces of fish, mussels, squid and mini-shrimp—and explains what you’re seeing.
• Look closely: flatfish have a lopsided head, very different from rays, which are symmetrical. These striking contrasts often become the seeds of quick, visual lessons in the blog.

Whale Hall: awe that invites questions

• Walk among enormous whale skeletons—all from animals that stranded near Texel.
• Stand by the giant skull of a 15-meter-long sperm whale and discover a smaller showpiece: a piece of ambergris, once called “floating gold.”
• That instant of “WOW!” is exactly the kind of spark that becomes a blog post about size, senses, strandings and the North Sea’s cetaceans.

Sea Laboratory and the Beach Findings cart: discovery through touch

• In the Sea Laboratory, you’ll find animals in formalin, skulls, feathers, shells, games, microscopes and a small aquarium—tools that encourage careful observation.
• At the Beach findings cart, you can handle finds and ask: Which animal has a cuttlebone? Why is there a mammoth tooth here? What’s the difference between a shark egg and a ray egg? Staff at the cart are happy to explain.

These hands-on moments produce the “aha!” insights that make the Ecomare staff blog approachable: a single object or behavior becomes a short story with a clear takeaway.

From moment to message: how experiences become learning stories

While every post is unique, effective learning stories in a place like Ecomare share a few simple, well-accepted principles:

• Start with a real observation. A behavior in the seal basin or a question at a presentation provides a concrete entry point.
• Explain the why. Link what you saw to a clear concept—how rehabilitation supports recovery, why flatfish evolved their body shape, or how strandings inform research.
• Keep it short and visual. Use everyday language and vivid details from the exhibits so readers can picture the scene.
• Connect to action. Offer a next step: attend a presentation, visit an exhibit, or follow best-practice guidance on the beach.

These principles help turn small moments into memorable posts that guide both first-time visitors and regular readers.

Topics you’ll often read about

The Ecomare staff blog is shaped by what’s happening on site. Recent post titles reflect that variety:

• “Ode aan de meeuw” (gulls and their coastal role)
• “Aanvullingen aan de collectie” (additions to the collection)
• “Geadopteerde pups in de opvang” (adopted pups in care)
• “Alles op de pupdates-app” (updates about pups in care)

Expect frequent connections to:

• The Seal sanctuary and rehabilitation milestones
• The Sea Aquarium and its daily feeding presentation
• The Whale Hall and strandings near Texel
• Hands-on discovery in the Sea Laboratory and at the Beach findings cart

Practical takeaways for readers

Use these tips to get more from the Ecomare staff blog and your next visit.

Plan around live interpretation

• Seal presentation: 11 am and 3.30 pm
• Feeding Presentation in the Sea Aquarium: daily at 2.30 p.m. (questions welcome at the end)
• Whale highlights and Beach findings sessions also appear on the agenda—ideal for deepening what you read on the blog.

Lean into hands-on learning

• In the Sea Laboratory, try the microscope, the skull game, and observation challenges.
• At the Beach findings cart, handle real objects and ask about cuttlebones, “mermaid’s purses” (egg cases) and more.

Respect animals’ space

• Walk quietly near enclosures and maintain a calm environment—good for animals and your own observations.

If you find a live animal on the beach

Many readers discover the Ecomare staff blog while searching for responsible, quick guidance. Here are two concise checklists to keep handy.

What to do if you find a live porpoise on the beach

1. Do not push it back into the sea.
2. Keep the blowhole on top of the head free of water and sand.
3. Create quiet: walk calmly; keep people and dogs away.
4. Prevent overheating: cool with water and wet cloths; provide shade; keep water out of the blowhole.
5. Call for specialist help and stay with the animal until help arrives:
   • SOS Dolfijn: 0031 (0)6-65098576
   • On Texel: Ecomare 0031 (0)222-317741

What to do if you find a seal on the beach

1. Not every seal needs help—many rest on the beach. Do not chase it into the water.
2. Keep your distance and ensure others do the same.
3. Keep dogs away.
4. With pups: watch for at least 15 minutes to see if the mother is nearby.
5. If the animal appears weakened or wounded:
   • On Texel: call Ecomare (0031 (0)222-317741) with the precise location.
   • Outside Texel: call Zeehondencentrum Pieterburen (0031 (0)595-526526) or ASeal (0031 (0)88-2747795).

These steps reflect best practice for animal welfare and public safety—and they’re the kind of clear, actionable guidance you’ll often see echoed in our stories.

FAQ: quick answers from the Ecomare staff blog

• What is the Ecomare staff blog?
  A weekly series where Ecomare staff turn on-site experiences into short learning stories about animals, exhibits and coastal nature.

• When are the seal presentations?
  At 11 am and 3.30 pm.

• When is the Sea Aquarium feeding presentation?
  Daily at 2.30 p.m., with time for questions at the end.

• Where can I learn about whales at Ecomare?
  In the Whale Hall, among skeletons from whales and dolphins that stranded near Texel.

• Can I handle real specimens?
  Yes—at the Beach findings cart you can touch items, and staff explain objects like cuttlebones and egg cases.

Why these stories stick

• They’re grounded in real moments. A behavior, object or question you can picture.
• They answer the “why.” Linking what you saw to how nature works.
• They point to your next step. A presentation to catch, an exhibit to explore, or a simple action to take on the beach.

This blend of observation, explanation and action helps readers—and visitors—build lasting understanding of the Wadden Sea and North Sea life.

Conclusion: read, visit, ask—and keep learning

The Ecomare staff blog turns weekly experiences into learning stories that prepare you to see more, notice more and understand more when you arrive. Read the latest posts, plan your visit around the seal presentations (11 am and 3.30 pm) and the Sea Aquarium feeding (daily at 2.30 p.m.), and bring your questions. Want updates in your inbox? Subscribe to our (Dutch) newsletter.

Most of all: let a single observation become your own learning story—here at Ecomare and along the Wadden Sea.