Porpoise and marine life Citizen Science route

This nature cycling route starts in Zierikzee and will take you along the wonders of the Oosterschelde via the Havenhoofd. The focus is on spotting porpoises and seals. Additionally, it will take you past hidden beaches and beautiful bird areas. By participating in this route, you can help with the porpoise research.

The route has been developed by Noortje Hoogland, an intern at the Rugvin Foundation, to share our knowledge with you. The Rugvin Foundation has been studying the porpoise population in the Oosterschelde since 2009. Based on their unique characteristics, individual porpoises are recognized using photo identification. Recognizing individuals helps us answer questions such as: how old do porpoises get? How often is a calf born?

Will you help protect these beautiful marine mammals? This cycling route is part of our "Citizen Science initiative". If you spot a porpoise in calm weather (wind force lower than 3Bft), upload your photo including date, time, and location and send it to observation@rugvin.nl. Does the spotted animal have clear characteristics, such as pigment spots, notches in the dorsal fin, or a scar? Then you can also check if "your" porpoise has been spotted before! Check our catalog and ‘make the match!’.

The Rugvin Foundation is entirely dependent on donations and its volunteers. With your support, the Rugvin Foundation can continue its research and protect the porpoise. Click here to make a donation. Thank you!