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Skeleton Coast Marine Lab Facilities
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Skeleton Coast Marine Lab | Oceans Research
Skeleton Coast Marine Lab 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 Skeleton Coast Marine Lab Internship
Skeleton Coast Marine Lab:
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
Skeleton Coast Marine Lab:
Accommodation
Under Construction
For more information, please contact us via: info@oceans-research.com
Oceans Research Marine Lab
Booking information
Oceans Research welcomes many visitors including, scientists, students, media, educational groups and the family and friends of interns. All visitors to the resort can submit an advance booking form to determine availability of facilities and staff. For further information for visitors, please see our FAQ.
Skeleton Coast Marine Lab
Members of Staff
Simon Elwen - Ph.D, M.Sc., B.Sc., (Hons)
Director: Skeleton Coast Marine Lab, 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: Skeleton Coast Marine Lab, 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 Skeleton Coast Lab, she also works as the Director of the Right Whale Aerial Survey Program at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, on Cape Cod.