Volunteer World
Great White Shark Conservation
Van Dyks Bay, SüdafrikaVolunteerPosted Apr 2, 2019
Volunteer
About this opportunity
Come face to face with one of the world’s most infamous predators whilst aiding great white shark conservation.
About the Project
This project is an operation dedicated to preserving this fantastic predator and its environment and helping in vital great white shark conservation. It also serves to educate people on why it is essential to conserve this species. The project works with students, eco-tourists, conservation organisations and marine resource users to gather data on the sharks, helping to correct negative misconceptions about them and stop the needless slaughter of over 100 million sharks annually.
Owing to massive negative media publicity over the years, sharks have become one of the most maligned, misunderstood, and even hated species on our fragile planet. They have been pursued, hunted and indiscriminately slaughtered to the point where many species are now critically endangered – certain shark species have experienced population declines of over 90% in the last thirty five years.
Unsustainable fishing practices, dorsal fin poaching, and environmental degradation compounded by relatively slow breeding cycles are all factors contributing to the potential demise of these amazing creatures.
South Africa has long been known for its abundance of Great White Sharks, making it a prime area to observe these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. The Great White Shark Project is a commercial operation, dedicated to educating and preserving the world’s greatest predator and its environment. The project works with eco-tourists, conservation organizations and marine resource users (subsistence fishermen, sport divers and dive operators) to gather data on Great White Sharks and help correct negative misconceptions about this species.
For cage-dives, a specially-designed, secure, five-man steel cage is used, which floats on the water's surface, with divers no more than 1m below the surface. Volunteers are taught how to get in and out of the cage and how to remain secure and safe in the cage. Cage-divers are responsible for recording observations on the Great Whites, including sex, size, markings and behaviour. Diving takes place on a rotational basis.
Prior to Arrival
Holders of UK, most other EU counties, Australian, Canadian and USA passports do not require a Visa for South Africa. Upon entry you will be issued with a 3- month permit (at no cost). Make sure the correct date and length of stay in the country is entered onto your visa when at immigration. If you are travelling from Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Russian Federation, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Algeria, Angola, Comoros, China, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mexico, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Paraguay, Rwanda, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia or Vietnam, you will require a Visa and should consult your South African embassy.
Location
Van Dyks Bay, Südafrika
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