NDP online

The Namibian Dolphin Project's website is finally up and running! We have been involved in marine research and outreach in Namibia for nearly four years now... Still so much more to do!

Take a look at:

http://www.namibiandolphinproject.com/

MarWiSe course, Walvis Bay

Friday, 17th February 

The second MarWiSe course was completed today. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all 26 course participants, and to thank them for their excellent questions, discussion and feedback. This is only the beginning of a process to develop sustainable marine tourism in Walvis Bay and elsewhere along Namibia's coast, and to work towards a Code of Conduct for marine tour operators which everyone can be proud of. 

The following people have completed MarWiSe training:

Werner Ahrens (Catamaran Charters)
Peter Bridgeford (freelance guide)

Bernd Curschmann (Lemon Reel)

Eduard du Toit (Ocean Adventures)

Linja Erlank (Sunsail)

Martinette Fourie (Ocean Adventures)

Craig Gibson (Namibia Kayak Tours)

Elrico Greenwood (Dolphin Tours) 

Johann Horn (Laramon)

Peter Karsten (Laramon)

Sandra Knop (freelance guide)
Mike Lloyd (Catamaran Charters)

Duan Oppermann (Dolphin Tours)

Lisa Oppermann (Dolphin Tours)

Jeanne Meintjes (Eco Marine Kayak)

Hazel Milne (Eco Awards Namibia)

Hans-Jorg Moeller (Sunsail)
Johan Mostert (Levo Tours)

Bernd Nietner (Eco Marine Kayak)

Anke Roehl (Sunsail)
Armin Schuff (freelance guide)

Walter Schaefer (Mola Mola)

Basilia Shivute (environmental consultant)

Peter van der Merve (Levo Tours)

Archie van der Merwe (Laramon)

Marko Van Vuuren (Catamaran Charters)

Huge thanks to Oceans Restaurant for providing the venue; to John Paterson and Hazel Milne for contributing to the course, to Sandra Knop, Marko Van Vuuren, Martinette Fourie, Walter Schaefer and Jeanne Meintjes for their inputand for helping to make this course a reality.

Jean-Paul Roux at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources drew up the Code of Conduct presented in this course, in consultation with the Namibian Dolphin Project.The course was supported by a Rufford Small Grant and by the WiSe Scheme (www.wisescheme.org).

CSI Walvis Bay

Sunday 12 Feb, 2012

The strandings network received a call about a dead killer whale in Swakopmund. I went out to find it, accompanied by Sandra Knop and Merlin Flaig. 
The stranded animal was in fact an adult male Heaviside's dolphin and it had probably been dead for several days, judging by the discoloured and bloated state of the carcass. Heaviside's dolphins are common in the Walvis Bay area and are often mistaken for killer whales because of the white marking on their bellies, which are similar to those of killer whales. However, the difference in size of these two species (adult killer whales can be up to 8 m in length, but Heaviside's dolphins only grow to 1.75 m, making them one of the smallest, but prettiest, dolphins in the world) and the much taller dorsal fin of the killer whale makes it easy to distinguish between them. Heaviside's dolphins are found only along the Atlantic coast of Africa, between South Africa and Angola, so we are priviledged to have such a unique species along the Namibian coast. We took photographs, examined the body for clues as to how it died, and took a skin sample and several teeth for analysis. My thanks to my 'CSI team', Sandra and Merlin, for their help. Just another sunny day on the Namibian coast.