Shark conservation project in South Africa

Planet

The Great Shark Research and Conservation Project is run in partnership with a world-leading organisation, focusing on shark and marine conservation efforts. Founded in 1989 as a research center, it has since evolved into a large commercial operation, establishing responsible shark tourism as an educational experience.

The project's motto is "misconception, education and preservation", and the aim is to educate as many people as possible on the misplaced, negative stereotypes of these apex predators, and in turn, help to preserve species which for so long have received pejorative press.

The project also conducts extensive field research on sharks, tracking individuals and gathering population data, while studying their behaviour in the wild. This enables a deeper understanding of sharks as a species, thereby honing and improving conservation efforts to ensure the survival of these magnificent predators.

People

While volunteering abroad is largely a positive thing, participants must be wise with the organisations they select. There are, unfortunately, a number of organisations who simply want to meet the demand of individuals looking to help, without considering the impact an influx of volunteers can have on host communities (particularly in developing countries.) With that in mind, we carefully consider all elements of our projects, adhering to our strict Responsible Travel policy and providing volunteer communities that benefit all involved.

An understanding of the host community and its needs is paramount to the success of any project. Thus, we will continue to respect a number of long-term commitments designed to aid these local communities. These commitments include pledges such as the adoption of good environmental, ethical, and social practices; providing valuable support; employing as many local people as possible; and creating an overall socially sustainable volunteer initiative. These elements are key to keeping the host community’s needs at heart, allowing us to maintain our promise of providing ethically sound volunteer activities.