"Volunteer work is not for the
faint-hearted, but the rewards are great”
Dolphin Research
Volunteers
VOLUNTEERING AT THE CENTRE FOR DOLPHIN STUDIES
PLETTENBERG BAY, SOUTH AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
The
Centre for Dolphin Studies (CDS) was first established in 1990, by
its present director Dr. Vic Cockcroft. It has since become a world
recognised, non-profit research and environmental education
institute. Evolving from a need to expand our knowledge of Western
Indian Ocean, and in particular, Southern African, coastal and
deep-sea marine mammals, CDS researchers and volunteers have
completed more then 30 research programmes and in excess of 145
publications. This has made the CDS the most productive marine
mammal research organization in Africa.
In
1999 we began a volunteer programme at the CDS in order to help with
our research, conservation and awareness programmes and to generate
funds to support our research. Volunteers are asked to get involved
in a range of duties and jobs: from assisting with ongoing research
projects, helping with stranded seals and dolphins, washing dolphin
bones and assembling skeletons for educational purposes, giving
talks at local schools, helping with beach cleanups, data input,
etc., etc.
(Volunteers
applying for these projects must arrange their own transport to
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa)
 
Where
are we?
The
CDS is based in Plettenberg Bay on the southern coast of South
Africa, a small town near Knysna and George and about 500 km east of
Cape Town. There is easy access to many of the country's most
beautiful beaches and nature parks.
Plettenberg Bay is world famous for its scenic beauty, pristine
beaches and diverse marine mammal fauna. Bottlenose dolphins can be
seen almost every day (group sizes average about 60-100 animals).
Humpback dolphins, although not seen as often, also reside in the
bay. Other marine mammals seen often, if irregularly, in the bay
include common dolphins, killer whales and Bryde’s whales. In
‘official’ whale season, between July and November, we can see
southern right whales every day. During this time our boats also
often see humpback whales, especially in May and June and between
November and January. There is a large Cape fur seal colony in the
bay, where numbers of animals can reach about 3000.
What will you do?
Your
work will vary, depending on what is required at the time that you
volunteer. We ask you to be enthusiastic, adaptable and willing to
“muck in and get your hands dirty”.
Duties and/or jobs that you may experience while you are with the
CDs include:
Helping with data collection and analysis for ongoing projects,
especially with regards to population parameters of coastal
dolphins, whales and Cape fur seals. Field-based research includes
photographing animals, tracking their movements and mapping habitat
use in the Plettenberg Bay area.
Land-based whale and dolphin surveys
Office-based duties include data analysis, record keeping and
administration.
You
will have the opportunity to accompany commercial tourist boats out
into the bay, to experience the natural beauty of the area and to
try and obtain photographs, which can be used to identify individual
animals.
You
will be trained in the different research techniques and small
workshops held during your stay will be used to give you an insight
into methodology used during dolphin research, such as fin profile
identification, prey identification, etc.
Bottlenose and Humpback Dolphins, Brydes and Humpback Whales
Research is done on all the different species and some of the data
are gathered by going out on the research boat, or possibly even the
tourist boat, to take photographs of the dolphins and whales. It
must be noted that these projects are seasonal and depend very much
on the presence of the animals along the coast. The photographs are
to provide fin profiles for identification, population estimates and
distribution studies. Photographs and data sheets compiled during
research trips form a vital part of the ongoing study of marine
mammals along the south-eastern Cape coast. Much of the work you
will participate in is part of a much larger ecological study,
ongoing since the early 1980’s. Field research is combined with
office-based analysis of fin profiles, notch characteristics and the
efficient placing of animals within the catalogue. This provides
valuable information on the animals’ migration patterns and social
groups and habits.
On
average, trips to sea on the research boat take place once to twice
a week. Trip length is generally 4 hours but trips can run as long
as 6-7 hours, depending on the number of animals and/or species in
the area. Please note: This activity is weather dependent and also
related to other duties of research students at the CDS. The Centre
also runs trips out of Knysna, although these are not run on a
regular basis. You may be lucky enough to partake in one of these,
depending on the duration of your stay.
Humpback Whales
Humpback whale work done by the CDS includes photographing hump/fin
profiles and tail fluke patterns for identification purposes, in
conjunction with taking skin biopsy samples. This is an exciting,
field-based study but it is dependent on the availability of
researchers and whales, as humpback whales do migrate seasonally.
Samples are taken as they pass along the coastline – primarily from
May to November.
Seal
Project
Research with this species covers many facets and includes counting
animals on the colony, collecting faeces for prey identification
purposes and liaising with fishermen in the area to identify the
food the seals eat. The colony is visited every two weeks in
conjunction with a Nature Conservation ranger. This involves a hike
and some rock climbing on the Robberg Nature Reserve. It can be a
very smelly experience but it is quite amazing to climb down into
the colony and be surrounded by seals!!
One
of the many projects that the Centre is involved in is educating the
local children. It may be that the children come to the Centre on a
field trip or you may be assigned to visit the local schools to give
lectures on basic environmental issues. For this purpose, you may
be asked to help construct an Information Board and/or other visual
aids, including literature and other types of information to be used
for your lectures. One of the major priorities of the Centre is to
educate the local people and raise awareness of marine mammals and
the habitat they live in.
Another
of the Centre’s activities is the rescue and rehabilitation of
penguins, sea birds, seals and sometimes even dolphins and whales.
Rescue operations come out of the blue (pardon the pun). One moment
everything is going along quite normally, the next everyone is
racing down to the beach to help direct a rescue operation.
Unfortunately, the majority of live strandings do not end happily
and animals have to be put down. However, these animals are an
integral part of CDS research. One must remember that most of what
is known about whales and dolphins, worldwide, comes from work done
on dead animals. During your stay with the CDS, you may participate
in either a dolphin or seal dissection and post mortem, depending on
animals available. You can either watch from afar, or, if you would
rather get your hands dirty, CDS researchers welcome volunteers who
like to get ‘stuck in’.
Working
‘hours’
The
general hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., although these are
flexible. Nothing at the CDS is set in stone and work rosters are
notoriously difficult to set up as something more interesting always
comes up!! You will be asked to work Monday to Friday. You may be
asked to help out over weekends but generally you can spend
Saturdays and Sundays relaxing on the beach, exploring the local
forests or enjoying some of the many activities that the area has to
offer. Bring extra money if you want to learn to scuba dive, bungy
jump or go black water tubing – all at discounted prices for CDS
volunteers.
Accommodation
During your stay you will stay in a cottage on Vic and Debbie
Cockcroft’s farm, located about 7 km outside the town of Plettenberg
Bay, set in the most stunning surroundings. The property shares
boundaries with the Knysna Elephant Park and often you’ll wake up to
elephants just a few metres away, hanging their heads over the
fence.
Depending on the number of volunteers, you may have your own room,
or you may be asked to share with between one other volunteer,
depending on which room you are allocated. The house accommodates a
maximum of 10 volunteers and is equipped with a large
living/dining/kitchen area, five private bedrooms, each with their
own basin, three showers and three toilets. An outside deck area
allows volunteers to relax after work and watch the elephants as
they browse on the other side of the fence.
Supplies for breakfast (eggs, cereals, toast, jams, peanut butter,
etc.) are provided for you to make your own morning meal. Tea,
coffee, sugar, milk and juice are also provided. You are also
provided with ingredients to make sandwiches, soup, etc for lunch.
Suppers are cooked for you – they are a mixture of vegetarian dishes
and basic meat options.
Bed
linen and a laundry service are provided.
COST
Volunteers pay a weekly fee which includes their food, accommodation
and internship fees at the CDS.
(Volunteers
applying for these projects must arrange their own travel plans to
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa)
Program
Costs
ZAR 2950 per
week
South African Rands
Currency Converter
Book your
Project Here
The
following are the things we recommend volunteers bring with them.
Essential Items
Sunhat
Sunglasses
Wind
Proof Jacket
T
Shirts
Jersey
and/or pullover (People are always surprised just how chilly it can
get out here)
Shorts
Trousers
Walking Boots or Trainers
Sandals/Flip Flops
Swimming Costume/Trunks
Towels
Old
clothes (some of the things we do are very smelly!!)
Very
Useful Extras
The
following is a list of items that previous volunteers recommend
future volunteers bring with them:
Camera, Binoculars
Mosquito Repellent
Sunscreen
Books
CDs
Clothes for going out (there aren't too many places to party in
Plett but volunteers do tend to visit most of them)
We
also recommend that volunteers bring extra spending money with
them. Your weekends are free and there is lots to see and do…it's a
truly stunning part of the world. Most volunteers hire cars at
least on the weekends as your accommodation is a 10km drive out of
town (You will be supplied a lift to and from work each week day).
However, you may also wish to go slightly further afield and spend a
night in a backpackers. Weekend trips to Cape Town, Jeffreys Bay
and Port Elizabeth have proved to be very popular.
Commonly Seen Marine Mammal
Species in Plettenberg Bay
Whales
Bryde's Whale
Southern Right Whale
Humpback WhaleDolphins
Common Dolphin
Humpback Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
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