

We’re rescuing baby seals
More and more grey seal pups are washing up alone on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea. They’re malnourished, separated from their mothers, and too young to survive on their own. Normally, grey seals give birth on massive ice shelves drifting in the northern Baltic. But rising temperatures and violent storms are destroying that ice, leaving them with no stable place to give birth. As a result, more pups are born on land—where they’re easily separated from their mothers because of human interference—or on unstable ice that breaks apart. Many pups end up adrift in the sea for days or even weeks until they wash ashore.
The mission
On Poland’s Hel Peninsula, a small but dedicated ocean research and seal rescue center, the Hel Marine Station, works to save the baby seals. For more than 30 years, the Hel Marine Station has been tracking the health of the Baltic ecosystem, caring for seal pups, and protecting marine life. Their goal is to help the seal population bounce back by rescuing pups, raising them in safety, and returning them to the wild.



With the support of the Planet Wild community, we helped expand their rescue center and update the tech needed for their work. We funded three brand-new seal enclosures and upgraded the round-the-clock monitoring system, so more pups can recover safely. We also funded seven specialized tracking devices to monitor the seals after release. This allows the team to collect vital data on how far the seals travel and how the population is doing. By helping to rescue, raise, and release them, we’re giving these pups a second chance.
What we achieved
Ideal outcome
Our Partner
Katarzyna “Kasia” Kucharska holds a PhD in Biology and Natural Sciences and has contributed to multiple scientific publications in her field. Since joining the team in November 2020, she has played an active role in the care and rehabilitation of the seals alongside the rest of the team. This includes ensuring a proper diet, managing feeding protocols, providing veterinary care, and overseeing data collection during rehabilitation. In addition, Kasia is the volunteer and intern coordinator for the rescue volunteer program and manages the Marine Station's social media.
Our Partner

Katarzyna “Kasia” Kucharska holds a PhD in Biology and Natural Sciences and has contributed to multiple scientific publications in her field. Since joining the team in November 2020, she has played an active role in the care and rehabilitation of the seals alongside the rest of the team. This includes ensuring a proper diet, managing feeding protocols, providing veterinary care, and overseeing data collection during rehabilitation. In addition, Kasia is the volunteer and intern coordinator for the rescue volunteer program and manages the Marine Station's social media.