Welcome to Oceans Research

Marine and terrestrial research and conservation organisation in Southern Africa.

About our company

Field Research Program

The Oceans Research's Field Research Program provides unparalleled research training opportunities for aspiring marine scientists and researchers

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Marine and Terrestrial Research in Southern Africa

Oceans Research provides and facilitates innovative and dynamic marine research
relevant to the management and conservation of Southern Africa’s wildlife.

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VEMCO Products

Oceans Research is now the VEMCO agent for the entire Africa

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Oceans Research and Conservation in South Africa

Oceans Research Institute investigates the biology and ecology of mega-fauna, including sharks, marine mammals, and terrestrial carnivores; we advise governmental and non-governmental bodies on relevant conservation issues. We also offer multi-disciplinary practical and theoretical training for aspiring researchers from internship to postgraduate levels in conjunction with partner schools, technical colleges, and universities.

Our Motto

Research

Oceans Research provides and facilitates innovative and dynamic research relevant to the management and conservation of Southern Africa’s wildlife.

Discover

We strive to divulge research discoveries to the scientific community and also to the general public, through our website, media releases, scientific and popular articles, and documentaries.

Educate

We fulfill our responsibilities towards the next generation of South Africa by educating young school pupils and students through our marine volunteer and internship programs, exposing them to species such as t6he White Shark, Cape fur seal, bottlenose, and humpback dolphins.

Conserve

One of our primary goals is to ensure South Africa's white sharks conservation through novel research, innovative awareness approaches, and aimed conservation projects.

       

Latest research news

South African Tide Pooling Guide, Part 1

Written by on June 17, 2023

Part 1 of our comprehensive guide to tidepooling in Mossel Bay..

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Connect with Oceans Research

oceansresearch

Hey everyone! 🌟 We've been facing some ...

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Sep 29

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Hey everyone! 🌟 We've been facing some serious challenges this month as Mother Nature put our shark research to the test along the South African coast, stretching from Cape Town to the Garden Route. Massive storms, accompanied by relentless high winds and enormous swells, hit us at the most unforgiving high tides. It's been quite the adventure. These wild conditions made it incredibly tough for our dedicated research teams, including our friends from @macquarieuni all the way from Australia, to get to sea and continue their invaluable work. BUT, here's the good news: Luck seems to be smiling upon us, and the sea conditions are finally showing signs of improvement as we dive into next week. We're happy to have had two great field days this week, even with the rolling swell. Stay tuned for more updates as we push forward with our mission to better understand and protect the incredible marine life that calls this stunning stretch of coastline home. @eyehartneuro #sharkresearch #weather #southafrica #sharkscience #storm #oceansresearch

oceansresearch

Great way to do important collaborative research ...

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Sep 27

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Great way to do important collaborative research on how to protect people from sharks in a sustainable way which ultimately means protecting sharks. Thanks to DFFE and Capenature. @eyehartneuro @charliehuveneers @environmentza @capenature @flindersuniversity #collaborate #sharkscience #sharks #protection

oceansresearch

Exciting News!

We're thrilled to ...

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Sep 22

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Exciting News! We're thrilled to welcome to South Africa the incredible team of researchers from the Neurobiology lab of Macquarie University in Australia as they embark on a groundbreaking journey to delve deeper into the mesmerizing world of shark senses, and how it can help in developing in protecting people from shark bites which ultimate means protecting sharks from unsustainable, archaic methods of bather protection like shark nets and drumlines! 🇦🇺✈️🇿🇦 Welcoming back, Prof. Nathan Hart and Dr Laura Ryan, and their team including one of our past head field specialists, Olivia Seeger (soon to be Dr). The electro-sensory systems of sharks are nothing short of amazing, helping them navigate, hunt, and communicate in the vast oceans.  With their expertise and passion, Prof. Hart and Dr Ryan and their team are set to uncover new insights that could revolutionize our understanding of these predators. Join us in giving them a warm South African welcome and wishing them all the success in their research endeavors! Let's support their efforts to protect and conserve these incredible creatures for generations to come. For updates on their time here keep an eye on @eyehartneuro.  📚🔍 #oceansresearch #sharkresearch #sharks #macquarieuniversity #sharkscience #sharkconservation #sensory

oceansresearch

August Adventures: A Month of Marine Marvels
...

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Sep 15

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August Adventures: A Month of Marine Marvels 🌊 As we bid farewell to our August students, we can't help but look back on an incredible month filled with ocean research and field methods, international friendships, and countless learning moments. 🤝 Meeting Interns from Across the Globe: One of the highlights was connecting with passionate students from diverse backgrounds. Together, we embarked on a thrilling journey to unravel the mysteries of our oceans. 🦈 Shark Research: Our month was a deep dive into the fascinating world of sharks! We honed our skills in handling and tagging endemic catshark species, ensuring these incredible creatures continue to thrive in their natural habitat. 🐠 Biodiversity Surveys Underwater: Exploring vibrant rocky reefs, we conducted biodiversity assessments of reef fish using transect surveys both on SCUBA and snorkel. The colors and variety of life beneath the surface left us awestruck! We can't wait to see how this project develops as we establish a baseline species list. 🌊 Intertidal Wonders: Our feet touched the edge of two worlds as we ventured into the intertidal zone. We meticulously counted marine invertebrate species during our intertidal transect surveys, uncovering the hidden treasures of the shoreline. 🥚 Elasmobranch Egg Cases: We collected elasmobranch egg cases and dove into the world of species identification, analyzing each case for evidence of hatching and/or predation. Each egg case was a puzzle waiting to be solved, revealing its secrets. 🤓 Learning and Growing: August taught us that the ocean is an endless source of wonder and discovery. We're grateful for the knowledge gained, the friendships forged, and the commitment we share to protect and conserve our precious marine ecosystems. 💙 As we move through September, our passion for the ocean remains unwavering. Stay tuned for more adventures, research findings, and the continued pursuit of marine conservation. Together, we can make a difference! #oceansresearch #marinescience #sharks #oceanexplorer #sharkresearch #marineadventure #conservation #nature #field

oceansresearch

Do you know what the white markings on southern ...

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Aug 22

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Do you know what the white markings on southern right whales are called? Callosities are irregular patches of thick skin on the head, eyes, lower lips, and around the blow hole of the whales. The callosities of southern rights is specialized tissue for three kinds of Cyamus, or whale lice that live and feed on whale skin. Although the relationship between southern rights and whale lice is not fully understood, researchers believe that their presence on whales could be for male to male fighting during courtship for a mate or as a defense against predators as whale lice is observed on both male and female whales. Callosities are used to help identify individual southern right whales through photo ID and each pattern is unique to the individual! If you want to read more about southern right callosities, we have two great websites at the link in our bio to find out more. Photo credit: @mgeoly #marinebiology #marinescience #whales #righthwhale

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