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If you love the idea of getting up close and personal with Whale Sharks, which are a truly unique and incredible species, whilst also spending your time amongst the beautiful corals and marine life of Mozambique, then this is the programme for you.
As a volunteer you will be provided with the opportunity to gain your PADI diving qualification in order to learn about the behaviour of whale sharks as you dive Mozambique’s incredible coastline. Duties will also include the monitoring of Manta Rays, indicator fish species and coral condition to help in the overall research that is imperative in the conservation of this marine area. During the turtle-breeding season you will also be involved in the monitoring of nesting activity.
Programme Information
The Whale Shark project is located at the beach village of Tofo, on the Inhambane peninsula in southern Mozambique on one of the most beautiful beaches around. Tofo is a charming village and the inshore area has a plethora of whale sharks. The tropical beaches here are magnificent and the area has some pristine coral reefs, making it an excellent location for the investigation of whale sharks and marine ecology.
However, the ever-increasing exploitation of marine resources is having a threatening effect on the biodiversity along the coastline of Mozambique. As so much marine life is dependant on the coral reefs it is essential that it is protected from the threat of exploitation, alien invasive species, bleaching and other ecological changes which are associated with human activities and tourism.
The aim of the project is to monitor whale shark and manta ray numbers and their behaviour, as well as monitoring loggerhead turtle nesting activity and the condition of the coral reef, in order to make recommendations for improving the conservation of marine biodiversity. Your role as a volunteer will be varied and exciting, as you collect data through beach walks, boat surveys, swims and dives along the Mozambique coastline in and around the Tofo area.
Your Role as a Volunteer
This programme is fantastic if you are keen to experience as much as possible during your time in Africa. You will work in many areas of conservation and also adventure activities, such as PADI diving and snorkelling. Your work hours while on the programme will generally be from 07:00 – 11:00 and then 14:00 – 16:00 depending on your daily duties.
During your time in Mozambique, you will be involved in the following project areas:
PADI Course: At the beginning of the programme you will start an open water scuba diving course, which is included in the programme price and will last between 4 and 6 days, depending on conditions. This is an internationally accredited PADI course and once completed you will be awarded with a certificate permitting you to scuba dive anywhere in the world.
If you already have your PADI certificate you can still take part in the course as a refresher, take an advanced course or do dives for an equivalent value. While doing your PADI course and dives you will be slowly introduced to the activities that you will be involved in throughout the programme and you may even get started with some of them if you are ready. Once you have completed your course you will have the knowledge and skills to focus on carrying out the programme activities.
Whale Shark and Manta Ray Monitoring: You will be involved in conducting research on whale sharks. The whale shark is the world’s largest fish and is a threatened species. Even though they are sharks, they are harmless to humans as they feed on plankton and are relatively easy to monitor. Whale sharks provide us with a way of indicating ocean productivity and can play a flagship role for the conservation of other marine creatures. With the increase of boat and fishing activities, their home ranges may become influenced, their food sources may be affected and direct mortalities may even result. This element of the project will also involve the monitoring of Manta Rays, which are also an important indicator of ocean productivity.
Most of the research that you carry out will involve taking underwater photographs to help identify individual whale sharks and manta rays. You will assist with the investigation of their numbers, distribution and ecology in an attempt to help understand and conserve these magnificent fish. Although we cannot guarantee the number of sightings of Whale Sharks, it is estimated that one should be spotted on every other boat trip that you make!
Please Note: Whale shark monitoring will be the main focus of the project and the majority of your time will be spent on this. Less time will be spent doing manta ray work but you will have the opportunity to do this at some point throughout your time on the project.
Tourist Education: Part of your volunteer role will also be to assist with tourist education. This will involve preparation of information boards that brief tourists about the importance of whale sharks, their ecology and how to preserve them and other information that raises awareness about marine environment. This may include assisting with presentations given to tourists staying at the camp about the same topics.
Coral Reefs: A key element of your project will be to monitor the condition of coral reefs in the Tofo area. This will involve carrying out scuba diving transects along the reefs and also taking photographs at fixed points whilst recording benthic cover and indicator species of fish, including Butterfly Fish. Your PADI diving course will provide you with the necessary training so that you are able to carry out the coral reef monitoring.
Monitoring of Turtle Nesting Activities: Depending on the time of year that you are in Mozambique, you may be involved in the process of monitoring the nesting activities of loggerhead and leatherback turtles. This is becoming more and more important as the nesting sites for the turtles are becoming increasingly threatened by human activity on the beaches as well as the hunting of adult turtles as they lay their eggs.
Your role in monitoring the turtles will include being part of nightly beach patrols during the laying season (October to December), recording data regarding the nest sites and tagging the adult turtles when possible. You will also be required to visit the nests during the hatching season (January to March) to record hatching success. Some general environmental awareness and cleanup activities may also be carried out during your time on the project.
Other Marine Activities: You will also have the opportunity to take part in some of the following activities on your programme:
- Dolphin observation – assist the team with locating dolphin pods and photographing dorsal fins to estimate their numbers and behaviour etc.
- Record fishing catch quantities & species
Project Age Limit
Minimum age of 17 years (with parental consent), maximum decided on potential participants health.
Project Support
Throughout your stay in Mozambique you will have the support and guidance of our local programme coordinators and their team. You will be provided with competent assistance and help with any questions or advice you may need during your stay. In addition you will have access to a 24 hour emergency contact number so you can contact one of your UK staff at any time should you need to.
Project Orientation
On arrival at Tofo you will have an orientation, which will include a presentation on the Whale Shark Conservation Project, information about the activities you will be doing throughout your time as a volunteer and a health and safety briefing. Your orientation will also include an introduction to Tofo and Inhambane including information about the local amenities i.e. banks, post offices.
Accommodation and Meals
The house has electricity and running water, though you will be expected to do your own laundry by hand. The accommodation is situated at the edge of Tofo village on the beach with a full ocean view. There are some basic shops within an easy walking distance, an internet café, a few restaurants and bars and a number of beach activities available close by.
For breakfast and lunch you will be provided with food that you can prepare for yourself in your cottage, which will generally consist of cereal and sandwiches. Your evening meal will be prepared for you at the end of each day at your accommodation.
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