Shark Conservation

Become a shark conservation volunteer with The Great Projects, and come face to face with the ocean's most feared and revered predator.

Starting with our project in South Africa, the Great White Shark is one of the planet's most formidable predators. At up to six metres in length at their largest and over 2000 kilograms at their heaviest; it's easy to see why people are intimidated. Many media publications or films (Spielberg's 'Jaws' for example) have run with this pre-disposition - it's no wonder, then, that sharks sit at the top of many people's 'most feared' lists. A shame, as in reality, Great Whites rarely attack humans.

It's important to note that for every human killed by a shark (on which the average figure is 12 per annum); around 8.5 million sharks are killed in the same time span. Shockingly, it is estimated that 100 million sharks are killed every year – victims of the shark fin trade, longline fishing nets, shark protection nets and trophy hunting.

You can encounter sharks such as the mighty Great White, the curious whale shark, right through to blacktip reef sharks bamboo sharks! You will help to collect data on their composition and understand how the marine ecosystems work, all which will help us to understand how to manage their oceanic habitat in the most sustainable way. Sharks face threats from ocean pollution and overfishing which puts huge pressure on the reefs and seagrass beds they call home.

What better way to help shark research and ultimately conserve these magnificent fish than on a fantastic shark conservation project! As a volunteer for shark conservation, you will make a lasting impact on the efforts for forging a future for these predators, and no matter which of our shark conservation projects you choose, it will be an experience you will never forget.