Rostock (dpa/mv) - Shortly before Christmas, the last three seals from the Rostock Zoo left their tank due to upcoming construction work and moved to temporary accommodation. As the zoo administration announced on Thursday, 34-year-old Susi, 21-year-old Gizmo and only one-year-old Sammy are now housed in the Marine Science Center in the Hohe Düne marina in the Hanseatic city. The return is scheduled after the zoo's new seal enclosure is completed in the summer of 2024.

"All the animals have reached their temporary home and have settled in well," said zoo director Antje Angeli. An exception was even made for Susi, since only male animals are actually kept in the Science Center. Angeli: "We didn't want to expect the old seal lady Susi to be transported any further." Other animals from Rostock are currently guests in Frankfurt/Main and Nordhorn.

The seal research center in the Marine Science Center belongs to the Institute for Life Sciences at the University of Rostock. Twelve seals, two sea lions and one fur seal are currently housed there for research purposes.