Eight gannets and two cormorants stay in the large cage with a pond. If you’re lucky, you can see them being fed! The bird sanctuary borders this cage. After recovery, rescued birds are released.

Bird sanctuary

In Ecomare’s bird sanctuary, sick, injured, weakened and oil-covered birds get the chance to recover. You can learn more about the dangers seabirds encounter. Ecomare is a nationally certified bird sanctuary, specialized in caring for coastal and seabirds. The species most often cared for are gulls, auks, guillemots, gannets, geese and ducks. In most cases, the birds come from Texel; however, Ecomare also regularly receives seabirds from other bird sanctuaries. For those birds that don’t belong to the category ‘seabirds’, Ecomare serves as an intermediate station. These animals are brought to other centers on the mainland.

Young birds

Ducks and geese chicks that have lost their mother find a safe refuge to grow in the bird sanctuary. They are housed in groups when possible. In early summer, young weakened gulls and other birds are brought to the shelter. For them, the transition from parent-care to taking care of themselves is too rapid. In the sanctuary, they can build up their strength and thereby get a second chance.

Small mammals

In addition to birds, Ecomare also cares for small mammals. This is usually orphaned rabbits or injured or weakened hedgehogs. Ecomare provides first aid for those species with specialists on the mainland.

Gannets in the bird sanctuary

There is a permanent group of gannets at Ecomare. These birds were once rescued but never healed sufficiently to be able to hunt. For example, they have poor sight or have a broken wing that didn’t heal properly. These birds now have an important function in the sanctuary. They help Ecomare to tell the story of the seabirds. They also play host to newly rescued gannets, which feel more comfortable among their own peers. This helps them to recover more quickly and can return to the sea faster.