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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Germany

Cold North Sea kelp forests, grey seals seen from the shore and a deep freediving lake.

Grey rocks along the sea shore on the beach of Helgoland
Heligoland · Photo: Dominik Lückmann on Unsplash
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 30 Sep 2026. Sources: Grey seals and harbour seals, Heligoland tourism; The changing face of the North Sea, Alfred Wegener Institute; Baltic harbour porpoise project CUMBIAH, German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. Australia's Smartraveller advises exercising normal safety precautions in Germany, and notes a high terrorism threat level. The US State Department rates Germany at Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of terrorism risk. Sources: Smartraveller travel advice, Germany · US State Department travel advisory, Germany Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

FreedivingWildlife watching

Why Germany

Germany is a quiet story about cold water, not tropical animals. Around Heligoland, its only island far offshore, a kelp forest 1 to 2 m tall shelters more than 200 species of animals and algae, and in the last count 12,497 grey seals were recorded in the Wadden Sea region. Seals are for watching from a distance. The Baltic harbour porpoise is critically endangered, so it is a conservation story only. We are still learning about Germany and offer no trips yet.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

KazakhstanRussiaNorwayGreenlandFranceTunisiaIraqIranArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomIcelandAzerbaijanGeorgiaSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoHeligoland, GermanyKreidesee Hemmoor, GermanyRuegen and the Baltic coast, Germany

When to go

Timing changes a lot from place to place. See each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

Germany has ethical ways to enjoy the sea, like kelp ecology and watching seals from land, where Heligoland asks people to keep 30 m away. We avoid any swim with seals or porpoises, and we never chase, feed or touch them. We have not yet found a local in-water operator or a checked emergency route for divers, so we are still learning and do not offer trips.

Evidence is still thin here. We are checking again with official sources.

Checked 30 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Germany

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Heligoland

Exploring

Germany's only offshore island, with a rich rocky seabed, a kelp forest, seabirds and grey seals.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Grey seals and harbour seals (from the shore, keep 30 m away), Seabirds such as common guillemots

When: Nov-Jan. Grey seals pup on the Duene from November to January, and access can be limited then. The ferry depends on wind and weather, and there is no scheduled flight.

Kreidesee Hemmoor

Exploring

A flooded chalk quarry lake about 60 m deep, used for freediving and scuba training. It is a lake, not the ocean.

When: Apr-Nov. Semi-dry suits work from about April to November and dry suits all year. Visibility is often 10 to 20 m.

Ruegen and the Baltic coast

Exploring

Baltic beaches and cliffs, and home to the harbour porpoise, the only whale living all year in the Baltic.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Harbour porpoises (rare, never certain, we never seek them out)

Animals

Animals recorded in Germany

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Grey seal resting on a seaweed rock in Northumberland, UKGrey sealHalichoerus grypusSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSpotted harbor seal lifting its head out of calm waterHarbor sealPhoca vitulinaSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHarbour porpoise rolling at the surface off Berry Head, DevonHarbour porpoisePhocoena phocoenaSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMoon jellyfish in a harbour in Zeeland, NetherlandsMoon jellyfishAurelia aurita and other Aurelia speciesSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableCalifornia sea lions diving together over a rocky reefCalifornia sea lionZalophus californianusSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredPod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFin whale surfacing, showing its white right lower jawFin whaleBalaenoptera physalusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedBump-head sunfish swimming in blue water off Nusa PenidaOcean sunfish (mola)Mola molaSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasVulnerableMinke whale surfacing and exhaling, seen from aboveCommon minke whale (North Atlantic)Balaenoptera acutorostrataSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSilvertip shark swimming in open blue waterSilvertip sharkCarcharhinus albimarginatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasVulnerableClose-up of a sleeping maned male South American sea lion on rocksSouth American sea lionOtaria byroniaSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDwarf minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrata (dwarf form)Seen in 30 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWild beluga lifting its head from the brown water near Churchill, ManitobaBeluga whaleDelphinapterus leucasSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLion's mane jellyfish with long hair-like tentacles, Highland, ScotlandLion's mane jellyfishCyanea capillataSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedA male northern bottlenose whale lifting its head above the surface in the Gully, Nova Scotia, during a research expeditionNorthern bottlenose whaleHyperoodon ampullatusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedSmooth hammerhead swimming in clear blue open water off SpainSmooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaenaSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasVulnerableShortfin mako shark at Condor Bank in the North Atlantic, AzoresShortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBlue shark swimming in open blue water off the Azores with a diver in the backgroundBlue sharkPrionace glaucaSeen in 50 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedSpiny dogfish resting on the seabed at the Josephine Marie shipwreck, Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuarySpiny dogfishSqualus acanthiasSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhite-beaked dolphin surfacing, head and beak at the water lineWhite-beaked dolphinLagenorhynchus albirostrisSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAtlantic puffin spreading its wings on a cliff in IcelandAtlantic puffinFratercula arcticaSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTwo Humboldt penguins on a rocky ledge, one with its head tipped backHumboldt penguinSpheniscus humboldtiSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSailfish swimming in open blue water, seen from below, with its long bill and tall dorsal finSailfishIstiophorus platypterusSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScarlet ibis in flight against a pale blue sky, photographed in Georgetown, GuyanaScarlet ibisEudocimus ruberSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernAdult king penguin standing on short grass beside a large brown downy chickKing penguinAptenodytes patagonicusSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a rockhopper penguin with yellow crest feathers, red eye and orange-red bill, standing in tussock grassSouthern rockhopper penguinEudyptes chrysocomeSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasVulnerableThree black-browed albatrosses with their bills together at a Steeple Jason Island colony, against blue skyBlack-browed albatrossThalassarche melanophrisSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernA single silvery herring angled through deep blue water off Skjervoy, northern NorwayAtlantic herringClupea harengusSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWhite-tailed eagle in flight low over calm water with a fish in its talons, near Raftsund, Lofoten, NorwayWhite-tailed eagleHaliaeetus albicillaSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernAmerican flamingo wading in shallow water with its head lowered toward the surface, Yucatán, MexicoAmerican flamingoPhoenicopterus ruberSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernHarp seal raising its head and chest out of green water with spray around itHarp sealPagophilus groenlandicusSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHuge flock of sooty shearwaters flying low over the sea beside a rocky coastSooty shearwaterArdenna griseaSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedClose view of a northern gannet face, with pale blue eyes and a golden headNorthern gannetMorus bassanusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLeach's storm-petrel in flight over water, wings spread, with a pale patch at the base of the tailLeach's storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasVulnerableManx shearwater banking just above the sea, white underparts and dark upperparts visibleManx shearwaterPuffinus puffinusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEuropean shag sitting on its nest of dry grass, dark green-tinged plumage and yellow gapeEuropean shagGulosus aristotelisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo pygmy cormorants perched on a bare branchPygmy cormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeusSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a small-spotted catshark head, with dark spots, resting on the seabedSmall-spotted catshark (lesser spotted dogfish)Scyliorhinus caniculaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTope shark swimming in clear shallow water, seen from the sideTope shark (school shark)Galeorhinus galeusSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredNorthern fulmar sitting on a cliff ledge, facing the cameraNorthern fulmarFulmarus glacialisSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon thresher shark leaping clear of the water, its long upper tail lobe trailing belowCommon thresherAlopias vulpinusSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableThornback ray swimming over a rocky seabed in shallow green waterThornback rayRaja clavataSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedStarry ray resting on a sandy seabed, with a spotted back and thorns along the tailStarry ray (thorny skate)Amblyraja radiataSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDusky shark swimming just under the surface of blue waterDusky sharkCarcharhinus obscurusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSpotted ray (homelyn ray)Raja montaguiSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlonde ray resting on pebbles in a shallow rock poolBlonde rayRaja brachyuraSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedStarry smooth-houndMustelus asteriasSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedSowerby's beaked whale surfacing, with its long beak and grey back above the waterSowerby's beaked whaleMesoplodon bidensSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernUndulate ray resting on the seabed, its wings marked with pale spots and wavy bandsUndulate rayRaja undulataSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasNear Threatened
Dreaming of Germany?

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