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Namibian Dolphin Project Facilities
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Namibian Dolphin Project | Oceans Research
Namibian Dolphin Project was established to formalise the ongoing marine mammal research of Dr. Simon Elwen of the University of Pretoria and Dr Ruth Leeney of Provincetown Centre for Coastal Studies, United States of America. The laboratory is situated along the desert coast of Namibia at Walvis Bay, a world wide mecca for dolphin watching and desert tourism.
The cool Benguela current is the driving force behind one of the world´s most abundant marine environments and attracts dense populations of marine mammals such as the Heaviside´s dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, Cape fur seal and humpback whale. The Namibian coast line is considered one of the most undeveloped and beautiful places in the world. The Namib is the oldest desert in the world and is characterised by the conjunction of large fields of sand dunes meeting one of the world´s richest marine environments.
The opportunity to conduct marine research here is a rare privilege that is made possible only through this project´s dedicated association and work in Namibia.
The Namibian dolphin project is conducted in collaboration with, and under permission from the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
Click here for information about the Namibian Dolphin Project Internship
Namibian Dolphin Project:
Available Facilities
- Research vessel (6m semi rigid inflatable)
- C-PODs (static acoustic monitoring equipment) for cetceans (x 6)
- Photographic identification camera equipment
- Cetacean biopsy equipment
Facilities and Accommodation
For more information, please contact us via: info@oceans-research.com
Namibian Dolphin Project:
Accommodation
Under Construction
For more information, please contact us via: info@oceans-research.com
Oceans Research Marine Lab
Booking information
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Namibian Dolphin Project
Members of Staff
Simon Elwen - Ph.D, M.Sc., B.Sc., (Hons)
Laboratory Director: Namibian Dolphin Project, Research affiliate
Dr. Elwen conducted his masters and doctoral research on cetaceans in the Western Cape, South Africa. His current research is assessing the impact of dolphin tourism on the behaviour of dolphins in the Walvis Bay region.
Ruth Leeney - Ph.D, B.Sc. (Hons)
Director: Namibian Dolphin Project, Research Affiliate
Dr. Ruth Leeney research speciality is the ecology of marine mega-vertebrates (cetaceans, seals & basking sharks) & static acoustic monitoring of odontocetes. As well her involvement with the Namibian Dolphin Project, she also works as the Director of the Right Whale Aerial Survey Program at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, on Cape Cod.
Tess Gridley - Ph.D, M.Res.,B.Sc.(Hons)
Namibian Dolphin Project, Research affiliate
Tess has been working on marine projects in Africa since 2002 and is currently based in Cape Town. Her research is focused on animal behaviour and in particular on marine mammal acoustic communication. Her PhD, through the University of St Andrews Sea Mammal Research Unit (UK) investigated geographic and species variation in the individually distinctive 'signature' whistles of bottlenose dolphins.
Heidi Etter – MSc, BA
Field Coordinator: Namibian Dolphin Project: research affiliate
Heidi originally started with Oceans Research as an intern in both Mossel Bay and Namibia in 2010. The following field season, she returned to Namibia as the intern manager. Since then she has been working to begin a community outreach programme in Namibia educating the local public about the marine research currently being conducted there. When not working with the NDP, she freelances as a marine mammal observer.