What SOS Dolfijn does

SOS Dolfijn (legal name Stichting SOS Dolfijn) is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2004 that operates a 24/7 specialist rescue, rehabilitation, and (where possible) release service for stranded small cetaceans — primarily harbor porpoises, but also dolphins and occasionally whales — across the North Sea coast, with documented cases from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France. The foundation is housed at Dierenpark Hoenderdaell in Anna Paulowna, North Holland, where it operates indoor basins with quarantine facilities, treatment pools, an education center, and (since 2025) the outdoor Waddenbelevenis experience. The technical core consists of a dedicated Dolphin Ambulance for beach recovery, a clinical treatment capability, and since 2024 a satellite-tagging program that monitors released harbor porpoises in the North Sea for weeks to months post-release.

The foundation does not sell products and does not receive structural government subsidy; its revenue is generated entirely through individual donations, symbolic adoptions, self-organized third-party fundraising via platforms such as Geef.nl, Why Donate and Just Giving, and project grants (notably €750,000 from the Waddenfonds in 2022, LEADER/European Agricultural Fund support, and Province of North-Holland funding). Its customer base is effectively a long tail of individual donors, supporters and visitors, with a secondary user base of schools and families participating in the Bruinvis Buddy's children's club, digital lesson packages and on-site education programs. Mission delivery relies on a small staff of approximately 22 employees plus trained volunteer networks and partner organizations (KNRM, Ecomare, Universiteit Utrecht, Stichting Rugvin, WEC and RTZ).

Outcomes are the foundation's primary performance metric: across 2004–2024, 156 animals were admitted, 71 were rehabilitated, 56 were released back to sea, and the survival rate exceeds 55% — roughly double to triple the 0–20% global average for marine mammal rehabilitation. The foundation also conducts or contributes to research on North Sea cetacean populations through sample collection, necropsy work with Universiteit Utrecht, photo-ID comparison with Stichting Rugvin, and behavioral research, while its mobile Reizende Walvisziekenhuis exhibition extends educational outreach across the Netherlands and Belgium.

Name

SOS Dolfijn

Legal name

Stichting SOS Dolfijn

Website

https://sosdolfijn.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SOS Dolfijn is a Dutch non-profit foundation that runs a 24/7 rescue, rehabilitation, and release center for stranded marine mammals — primarily harbor porpoises — across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Marine mammal rescue
• Cetacean rehabilitation
• Wildlife conservation education
• Stranding response
• Marine research

Headquarters

HQ city

Anna Paulowna

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stichting SOS Dolfijn provides 24/7 emergency response, veterinary care, and rehabilitation for stranded marine mammals (harbor porpoises, dolphins, and whales) in the North Sea, with the goal of releasing healthy animals back to sea. The organization also operates an on-site Education Center at Landgoed Hoenderdaell, a mobile educational exhibition (Het Reizende Walvisziekenhuis), the Bruinvis Buddy's children's club, the Waddenbelevenis outdoor experience, and conducts research on cetacean populations in the North Sea.

Product overview

SOS Dolfijn is a nonprofit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization offering a unified portfolio of services centered on strandings response, rehabilitation, education, and research. The core offering is the 24/7 rescue and rehabilitation center for stranded marine mammals in the North Sea, supported by the Dolphin Ambulance service and emergency hotline. Educational offerings include the on-site Education Center, the mobile Het Reizende Walvisziekenhuis (Traveling Whale Hospital), the Bruinvis Buddy's children's club, and the newly opened Waddenbelevenis exhibition experience. Research and conservation work complements the direct animal care. The organization also facilitates donations through adoption programs and online fundraising platform integrations with Geef.nl, Why Donate, and Just Giving.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Het Reizende Walvisziekenhuis: A mobile educational field hospital teaching children and adults about cetaceans in the North Sea, including games, dummy harbour porpoises, and information about dangers they face.
• Bruinvis Buddy's
• Waddenbelevenis

Products and services

• SOS Dolfijn Rescue and Rehabilitation Center Specialist 24/7 emergency response and rehabilitation center for stranded marine mammals including harbor porpoises, white-beaked dolphins, common dolphins, and whales in the North Sea. Expert caregivers and trained volunteers provide medical care at on-site hospital basins with quarantine facilities, aiming to return healthy animals to sea.
• Education and Experience Center On-site education center at Landgoed Hoenderdaell that informs visitors about cetaceans in the North Sea, their challenges, threats, and conservation efforts through exhibits and learning resources.
• Research and Conservation Program Scientific research program contributing to knowledge of marine mammals in the North Sea, including sample collection, behavioral research, post-mortem analysis in collaboration with Utrecht University, and photo identification studies with Stichting Rugvin.
• Het Reizende Walvisziekenhuis (Traveling Whale Hospital) Mobile educational field hospital that travels to schools and events across the Netherlands and Belgium, teaching children and adults about North Sea cetaceans through interactive games, dummy harbor porpoises, and information about diet, size, and threats.
• Bruinvis Buddy's Children's Club Educational children's club that teaches young people about harbor porpoises and marine conservation through age-appropriate interactive activities and club membership.
• Waddenbelevenis (Wadden Experience) Outdoor exhibition experience featuring a miniature Wadden landscape with a Wadden garden, dune landscape, lookout point, outdoor enclosure for harbor porpoises, and seal enclosure, providing visitors with an immersive view of the Wadden Sea habitat.
• Dolphin Ambulance (Dolfijnenambulance) Specialized emergency vehicle for transporting stranded marine mammals from beaches to the rehabilitation center, with animals transported in specialized hammocks.
• Stranding Reporting Hotline 24/7 emergency hotline (+31 (0)6-65098576) for reporting stranded marine mammals, available year-round for coastal visitors and beachgoers.
• Animal Adoption Program Symbolic adoption program allowing supporters to contribute financially to the care of rescued marine mammals as a donor engagement mechanism.
• Online Fundraising Platform Integration Partnership integration with Geef.nl, Why Donate, and Just Giving platforms enabling supporters to create personal online fundraising campaigns for SOS Dolfijn.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55%+ survival rate for rehabilitated animals vs 0-20% global average
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dierenpark HoenderdaellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Host location for SOS Dolfijn since 2020 relocation. Collaborative partnership where SOS Dolfijn operates its rehabilitation center and education facilities on the zoo grounds, with shared resources and visitor synergy. Jointly developed the Waddenbelevenis project.
• KNRM (Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSea rescue organization that assists with transporting stranded marine mammals from islands and coastal areas to SOS Dolfijn. Regular cooperation on rescue operations.
• EcomarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine museum on Texel that provides first response to strandings on the island, including initial emergency care and transport coordination with SOS Dolfijn.
• Universiteit Utrecht (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts post-mortem research on stranded animals and collaborates on marine mammal health studies. Provides necropsy services and research analysis.
• Stichting RugvinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts photo identification research on harbor porpoises in the Oosterschelde, comparing images with SOS Dolfijn records for population studies.
• Zeeaquarium Bergen aan ZeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrigin location for seals Sælma and Tjark who were transferred to SOS Dolfijn's Waddenbelevenis when the aquarium needed new placement.
• Stichting ReddingsTeam Zeedieren (RTZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists with marine animal rescue operations, particularly in the Oosterschelde area.
• WEC (Local Helpers at Lauwersoog)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal response volunteers who assist with monitoring and coordinating response to marine mammal strandings in the Wadden area.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sos-dolfijn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOS Dolfijn