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Outstanding 4.92rating (10)
  • Life Below Water

Marine Biology Intern

location
2 - 4 weeks  ·  Alder 18 - 50+
Bekræftet

Højdepunkter

  • Reef Awareness and Ethics - Learn reef care, species ID and ocean respect
  • Scuba and Ocean Skills - Gain confidence while diving for conservation
  • Wildlife and Conservation work - Join reef surveys, clean-ups and daily support

Højdepunkter

  • Reef Awareness and Ethics - Learn reef care, species ID and ocean respect
  • Scuba and Ocean Skills - Gain confidence while diving for conservation
  • Wildlife and Conservation work - Join reef surveys, clean-ups and daily support
  • Team and Field skills - Collaborate safely on guided conservation tasks
  • Certificate of participation - Recognized contribution to marine protection
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    Særligt velegnet til

    Alder 18+
    Singler
    Grupper

    Om programmet

    Based in the heart of the Zulu Kingdom, this marine biology internship offers adventurous students and volunteers a unique platform to gain hands-on experience.

    Overview

    The Marine Conservation Volunteer program offers a focused 2-4 week experience introducing participants to marine conservation, field operations, and practical reef monitoring activities. It is designed for those who want to contribute meaningfully to ocean conservation while gaining insight ...

    Om programmet

    Overview

    The Marine Conservation Volunteer program offers a focused 2-4 week experience introducing participants to marine conservation, field operations, and practical reef monitoring activities. It is designed for those who want to contribute meaningfully to ocean conservation while gaining insight into the work conducted at the Sharklife Field Station in Sodwana Bay.

    The program blends education, participation, and conservation ethics, giving volunteers hands-on exposure to the daily realities of marine protection in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Who is it for

    • Gap-year travellers and university students who want introductory field experience before longer academic projects or internships.
    • Ocean-minded people wanting to spend time supporting conservation in a structured environment.
    • Professionals on sabbatical or career break looking to reconnect with nature through ethical, conservation-based volunteering.
    prerequisites

    The Marine Conservation Volunteer program is open to all experience levels — no prior dive or field background is needed. What matters most is enthusiasm, teamwork, and a genuine interest in protecting the ocean. You’ll learn step-by-step, building water confidence and understanding how conservation work happens in the field.

    Minimum Requirements

    • Age 18+
    • Confident swimming ability
    • Good health and mobility for snorkelling and beach-based activities
    • English comprehension sufficient to follow safety briefings and instructions

    No Prior Experience Needed
    This program is designed for beginners and ocean enthusiasts alike. Whether it’s your first time in the water or you already have some experience, you’ll gain practical insight and confidence through structured, hands-on learning.

    What You Will Do

    Each day combines hands-on conservation tasks with opportunities to explore and learn about the marine environment. You’ll work alongside field staff, helping maintain core monitoring routines and supporting the smooth running of the station.

    Activities vary by season and conditions but typically include:

    • Snorkelling to record marine life sightings
    • Participating in CoralWatch coral health and marine sighting surveys.
    • Assisting with equipment preparation, station upkeep, and beach clean-ups.
    • Joining informal discussions about reef ecology, conservation ethics, and marine protected areas.

    What You Will Learn

    The Marine Conservation Volunteer program introduces you to the core ideas behind marine protection and practical conservation work in the field. The aim is to understand—not just observe—how everyday actions contribute to the health of marine ecosystems.

    1. Coral Health & Benthic Cover
    • Method: CoralWatch colour-state surveys and guided reef observations during snorkelling sessions.
    • Focus: Recognising coral health indicators and understanding what they reveal about reef condition.
    • Good for volunteers interested in hands-on reef conservation and coral ecology.
    2. Marine Life Sightings & Observation Skills
    • Method: Recording sightings of turtles, rays, and reef fish using simple logging sheets and ID guides.
    • Focus: Developing observation skills, species recognition, and awareness of local biodiversity.
    • Good for participants wanting to learn how marine life monitoring supports conservation.
    3. Reef Fish Monitoring
    • Method: Visual fish surveys using the Roving Diver Technique (RDT) — a relaxed, observation-based approach where volunteers record species seen during guided scuba dives.
    • Focus: Learning to recognise common reef fish, record sightings consistently, and understand how these observations contribute to global monitoring efforts.
    • Good for volunteers interested in practical fish identification and supporting long-term citizen-science programs.

    Typisk dag

    A typical day blends reef observations, CoralWatch coral health logging, marine life sighting sheets, beach clean-ups, and basic station support. Activities vary with the weather and tides.

    Typisk dag

    A typical day blends reef observations, CoralWatch coral health logging, marine life sighting sheets, beach clean-ups, and basic station support. Activities vary with the weather and tides.

    Fritidsaktiviteter

    1. The most popular free-time activity is a day trip to the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve. The park is home to Africa's big five: elephant, rhinoceros (black/hook-lipped and white/square-lipped), Cape buffalo, lion, and leopard.
    2. You can just relax on the pristine beaches of Sodwana Bay.
    3. There are also ...

    Fritidsaktiviteter

    1. The most popular free-time activity is a day trip to the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve. The park is home to Africa's big five: elephant, rhinoceros (black/hook-lipped and white/square-lipped), Cape buffalo, lion, and leopard.
    2. You can just relax on the pristine beaches of Sodwana Bay.
    3. There are also quad bike tours of the local lake systems and forests. 
    4. You can scuba dive on the world-renowned reefs of Sodwana Bay. 

    Krav

    Krav

    Minimumsalder: 18 år

    For at kunne deltage i programmet skal du være mindst 18 år gammel på programmets startdato. Der kan være undtagelser, hvis du kan give tilladelse fra din(e) værge(r), eller hvis du ledsages af dine forældre.

    Sprogfærdigheder

    Du skal kunne tale Engelsk (intermediate level)

    Uddannelseskrav

    Marine Sciences, Biology & Conservation (not essential) på High school niveau

    Nationalitetsrestriktioner

    Ingen begrænsninger. Hjælpende hænder fra hele verden er velkomne.

    Andre færdigheder

    The Marine Conservation Volunteer program is open to all experience levels — no prior dive or field background is needed. What matters most is enthusiasm, teamwork, and a genuine interest in protecting the ocean. You’ll learn step-by-step, building water confidence and understanding how conservation work happens in the field. Minimum Requirements Age 18+ Confident swimming ability Good health and mobility for snorkelling and beach-based activities

    Tidsforpligtelse

    Der er brug for din hjælpende hånd Mandag, Tirsdag, Onsdag, Torsdag og Fredag fra 07:00 - 16:00

    Hvad er inkluderet

    Hvad er inkluderet

    Tjenester på stedet

    Program fees reflect the real costs of operating in a marine field environment, the high number of scuba dives and field trips increase costs. As a non-profit organisation, Sharklife directs all surplus fees back into the Field Station, ensuring your contribution supports both your experience and the wider conservation mission.

    • 2 weeks – USD $2 250 (= $1 125 p/w)
    • 4 weeks – USD $3 170 (= $792 p/w)
    Included per month

    1 Scuba Certification (OW or Adv)

    up to 24 Scuba Surveys per month

    All dive gear

    Certificate of participation

    24-hour support

    Local transport

    Airport transfers

    Private room

    Wi-Fi

    Excluded

    Flights

    Travel insurance / DAN Insurance

    Weekend activities (game reserves or out-of-town trips)

    Meals (budget $50–$100 p/w)

    * Meals — Our accommodation has a fully equipped kitchen where you can prepare your own meals. We run regular supermarket trips. There’s also a restaurant across the road for lunch and dinner.

    Program start and end dates:

    MonthStart (1st Monday)End (3rd Monday)March 20262 Mar 202616 Mar 2026April 20266 Apr 202620 Apr 2026May 20264 May 202618 May 2026June 20261 Jun 202615 Jun 2026July 20266 Jul 202620 Jul 2026August 20263 Aug 202617 Aug 2026September 20267 Sep 202621 Sep 2026October 20265 Oct 202619 Oct 2026November 20262 Nov 202616 Nov 2026December 20267 Dec 202621 Dec 2026January 20274 Jan 202718 Jan 2027February 20271 Feb 202715 Feb 2027March 20271 Mar 202715 Mar 2027April 20275 Apr 202719 Apr 2027May 20273 May 202717 May 2027June 20277 Jun 202721 Jun 2027July 20275 Jul 202719 Jul 2027August 20272 Aug 202716 Aug 2027September 20276 Sep 202720 Sep 2027October 20274 Oct 202718 Oct 2027November 20271 Nov 202715 Nov 2027December 20276 Dec 202720 Dec 2027

    Afhentning i lufthavnen i Richards Bay Airport

    FLIGHT BOOKING IMPORTANT INFO:

    If your program starts on the 1st of January you need to arrive at the airport on the 1st of January, not before. If your program's last day is the 2nd of December, you need to book your flight for departure on the 2nd of December.

    You need to fly into Richards Bay airport via Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport or Cape Town International Airport. Please book your flight to arrive no later than 1 pm as it's a 4-hour drive back to Sodwana Bay and there is a stretch of road that is very dangerous to drive at night due to stray cows, goats, and dogs.

    If all the available flights on the arrival date only arrive after 1 pm you would need to arrive the day before and stay over in Richards Bay to meet us at the airport the next day at the arranged time.

    For the departure flight please book a flight for after 1 pm – Lunch time.

    If you need assistance with travel arrangements, please let me know, I’m happy to help.

    A Sharklife staff member will pick you up from the airport on your arrival day, the staff member will more than likely be me, and I will be in contact with you via WhatsApp a few days before your departure date to start planning.

    Indkvartering

    You will stay in the intern camp next to the Sharklife Ocean Center.

    The camp has a total of eight rooms. Seven of the rooms are small, secure, and private, and share four bathrooms. One room is en-suite.

    The kitchen and communal areas are spacious and well-equipped, with two washing machines available for laundry.

    There are also several restaurants within walking distance.

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    Hvad er IKKE inkluderet?

    Hvad er IKKE inkluderet?

    Mad og drikkevarer

    Mad, snacks og drikkevarer koster ekstra.

    Flybilletter

    Den nærmeste lufthavn er Richards Bay Airport (RCB) i Richards Bay. Vi hjælper dig med at finde billige flybilletter til Sydafrika. FINDE BILLIGE FLYBILLETTER

    Rejseforsikring

    At rejse til udlandet er et eventyr, og det er altid bedst at være forberedt. Pludselig sygdom eller skade, aflysning eller tyveri - en rejseforsikring til Sydafrika giver sikkerhed og er en fordel at have. FÅ ET TILBUD

    Vacciner

    Hvis du har til hensigt at blive frivillig i Sydafrika, bør du søge lægehjælp, før du begynder din sociale rejse. Tjek dine krævede vaccinationer for Sydafrika. VACCINE CHECKER

    Oplysninger ved ankomst

    Program start dates

    The Marine Conservation Volunteer program runs on a rolling basis, with start dates on the first or third Monday of each month. The standard duration is two weeks, offering a focused, hands-on introduction to marine conservation. During this time, volunteers gain in-water confidence, support structured field routines, and contribute to meaningful conservation activities within the iSimangaliso MPA.

    Airport transfers

    Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is about 200 km (±2 hrs) from our base. To streamline logistics, we provide one group transfer per month to align with program start and end dates:

    • Arrivals: please book flights to arrive at Richards Bay Airport by 13:00 on the start day.
    • Departures: please book flights to depart after 11:00 on the final day.
    • If you cannot make these times, let us know in advance, and we’ll do our best to accommodate alternative arrangements.

    You will be met at Richards Bay Airport by a uniformed Sharklife staff member in a Sharklife-branded vehicle. A photo and contact details of your Sharklife representative will be shared in the Arrival WhatsApp group before your trip, so you can easily recognise them.

    International travel
    • Main gateway: all international students should fly into Johannesburg — O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).
    • Connecting flight: from Johannesburg, take a domestic flight to Richards Bay (RCB). Flight time is about 1 hour.
    • Customs & transfers: allow at least 2–3 hours between your international arrival and domestic connection.
    U.S. Volunteers
    • Direct flights are available to Johannesburg (JNB) from New York, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.
    • After clearing immigration, connect to Richards Bay (RCB).
    • Schedule your RCB flight to arrive by 13:00 on the program start day.
    European Volunteers
    • Most major European cities have direct flights to Johannesburg (JNB).
    • From JNB, connect onward to Richards Bay (RCB).
    • Some itineraries route via Doha, Dubai, or Addis Ababa before Johannesburg.
    What to bring
    • Personal dive certification card (if applicable)
    • Dive gear (if you prefer your own, otherwise it's provided)
    • Weather-appropriate clothing (Sodwana is warm, but mornings and evenings can be cool)
    • Personal items and toiletries
    • Any prescribed medication, with scripts if necessary
    Tilgængelighed
    Jan. Febr. Marts April Maj Jun Jul Aug. Sept. Okt. Nov. Dec.

    Programgebyrer

    $945 pr. uge 2 - 4 weeks Alder 18 - 50+

    Betalingsmetoder

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    INGEN KREDITKORTGEBYRER

    Duration

    2 - 4 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserver din plads med et par klik og et lille, sikkert depositum. Du kan betale med kreditkort, PayPal eller andre praktiske metoder.

    Final Payment

    Du aftaler den endelige betalingsmetode med din lokale organisation under ansøgningsprocessen. Den endelige betaling forfalder først tættere på rejsens start.

    Du behøver ikke at betale noget endnu

    4,92
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    10 reviews

    Placering

    Afrika > Det sydlige Afrika > Sydafrika > Kwa-Zulu Natal

    Mød din projektkoordinator

    Candice
    10
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    4,92
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    2005
    Grundlagt

    Bekræftet

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