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Marine conservation wildlife

What will you see in the ocean is just one of the questions that travelers ask before undertaking marine conservation wildlife vacations but it’s not until you’ve seen passing whale sharks, a vibrant coral reef and sea turtles first-hand that you’ll really get to experience wildlife in all its natural glory.

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Marine conservation wildlife

The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish

- Jacques Cousteau, oceanoghrapher

Whale sharks

Whale Sharks are the largest fish in the ocean; they grow up to 19m in length and can weigh up to 15 tonnes living for between 100-150 years. They eat plankton and small fish and are harmless to people, but their gentle nature makes them an easy target for hunters after their meat and fins, and they also die from boat collisions and entrapment in fishing nets. Diving with whale sharks is a thrilling, rewarding experience, but their very presence is dependent on the health of spawning fish aggregations. Like many of their shark relatives, whale sharks are in decline and they are classified as endangered.

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Coral reefs

Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems, housing tens of thousands of marine species including octocoral, sea turtles, hundreds of species of fish, molluscs and sponges. About one-third of all marine fish species live part of their lives on coral reefs and despite their importance to marine life, the world's total adds up to less than one percent of the sea floor - an area about the size of France. They have a very slow growth rate, developing from 10cm to as little as 0.3cm per year and, shockingly, one quarter of all coral reefs worldwide are damaged beyond repair. The remaining healthy reefs are incredibly vulnerable to temperature change, pollution and human touch.

Sea turtles

Sea turtles are one of the most ancient creatures in existence and the seven species that can be found today have been around for 110 million years. The sea turtle's shell, or 'carapace' is streamlined for swimming through the water and unlike tortoises, they can't retract their legs and head into their shells. Slaughtered for their meat, skin and shells, sea turtles also suffer from egg theft and nearly all species are now classified as endangered.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Marine conservation or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

Toll free 1-866-821-6866

Calling us from outside the US?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Toll free 1-866-821-6866

Calling us from outside the US?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

What can you see and where?

Polly Alford, from our supplier, ReefCI, shares her knowledge of marine life in Belize:
"Belize is on the migratory path for the whale sharks, which are the biggest fish in the sea. You can see more whale sharks in Punta Gorda than anywhere else in Belize and you can see them at any time of year. There are lots of other species of shark in Belize including nurse sharks and silky sharks, but that doesn't mean you'll see lots of sharks all the time and it's always an incredible reward when you do. You can also expect to see sting rays, moray eels, turtles, big snappers and big groupers."

More about Marine conservation

Marine conservation travel guide

Let us guide you underwater as our marine conservation travel guide allows you to find out whether a marine conservation vacation is for you and what Responsible Travel recommends when it comes to our marine conservation cultural pick.

Choosing a marine conservation vacation

Choosing a marine conservation vacation will help you find which type of vacation is right for you with research projects, land-based itineraries and expert advice from our suppliers all combining to let you learn how to choose a marine conservation vacation that ticks all the right boxes.

Where to go on a marine conservation holiday

Where to go on a marine conservation vacation

If you don’t know where to go on a marine conservation vacation then don’t worry we’ve got an interactive map of our favourite highlights with typical daily timetables to allow you to see what you will be doing on a marine conservation vacation in Belize, Costa Rica or the Seychelles.

Marine conservation activities

Aside from taking the chance to explore your underwater world, marine conservation activities will also take you above the ocean wave with time to get out and about, as you live alongside the locals, just as important as what lies beneath.

Lionfish spearing marine conservation

It’s not usually the done thing, killing fish around a highly protected reef system.

Marine conservation in the Seychelles

Volunteer with marine conservation in the Seychelles to combine a vacation in paradise with an award winning effort to restore the ecosystems and native biodiversity of North Island.

Marine conservation in Timor-Leste

Marine conservation vacations in Timor-Leste revolve around the island of Ataúro, whose waters are packed with a diverse collection of fish and other marine life, all flitting around some of the best corals the planet has to offer.

Marine conservation advice

We’ve garnered some tips from our friends in marine conservation including training advice, work-vacation balance tips, location advice and how to do marine conservation safely to ensure you’re equipped with all the marine conservation advice you need to find the right trip.