South Africa: Great White Shark Research Internship

Introduction

The Shark Research Unit’s – great white shark research internship allows people from all walks of life to contribute to shark research and conservation in Mossel Bay, South Africa.

Our great white shark research internship offers a diverse itinerary to suit the expectations of a broad cross-section of participants. Our great white shark internship provides a hands-on approach to working with great white sharks and other species in the area.

The ultimate goals of the great white shark research internship are education, public awareness, the advancement of shark science and the conservation of all shark species. We were hoping you could bring your skills and passion for helping understand and conserve these incredible animals!

Daily Life

The Shark Research Unit’s – great white shark research internship allows people from all walks of life to contribute to shark research and conservation in Mossel Bay, South Africa.

Our great white shark research internship offers a diverse itinerary to suit the expectations of a broad cross-section of participants. Our great white shark internship provides a hands-on approach to working with great white sharks and other species in the area. We offer you the chance to visit and learn with a loyal and dedicated team behind you!

The ultimate goals of the great white shark internship are education, public awareness, the advancement of shark science and the conservation of all shark species. We were hoping you could bring your skills and passion for helping conserve these incredible animals!

Programme Highlights

• Eight dedicated great white shark research expeditions in Mossel Bay, South Africa. These expeditions include cage diving, photographic research, underwater video research, and behavioural ethogram studies; and
• A three-day expedition to Plettenberg Bay’s Robberg Reserve for a bird-eye scientific survey of great white sharks patrolling and hunting at the seal colony; and
• Six research and conservation SCUBA (or freediving) expeditions to conduct studies on sand tiger (ragged-tooth) sharks and small, shy sharks; and
• Two days volunteering at SAPREC bird rehabilitation centre, aiding in the rehabilitation of entangled and oiled seabirds; and
• A two-day expert introduction to freediving course, accompanied by practical sessions.

Travel & Accommodation

You will board with fellow students and interns in Mossel Bay.

You will need to fly into George Airport, Western Cape , South Africa.

On the outskirts of Mossel Bay, lies the Aalwyndal community. Perched on the ridge overlooking the oceans is our student house, known as the Fly me to the moon guesthouse. This stunning guesthouse offers 8 bedrooms for students, living rooms, dining rooms, balconies and work offices.

Requirements

• The great white shark research internship program is open to everyone with the time available and desire to contribute to our great white shark research, conservation and education efforts. If participants want to join the team on research SCUBA dives, then an open-water SCUBA certification is required. This can be gained either before or during your participation on the internship.
• Minimum 2 weeks commitment
• Minimum age 18
• Be able to communicate in English
• Be open minded, patient, adaptable and willing to embrace the challenges of the project
• Have a positive attitude towards living and working in a team
• Good mental and physical health – an appropriate level of fitness
• Necessary flights & visas
• Full travel & medical insurance – full assistance will be providing in arranging everything should you choose our Premium Support Upgrade.

Costs

The cost is $3,500 USD

*$750 deposit to confirm your place (non-refundable)
**All payments incur a 5% bank transfer fee
*** For the latest currency conversions, check out xe.com

What’s Included:

• 2 Week online training course
• Onsite expert training
• 8 x Mossel Bay great white shark research trips
• 3Day x Plettenberg Bay white shark expedition (land observations)
• 6 x SCUBA  / Free diving shark research trips
• 2 x Seabird rehabilitation conservation trips
• 2 x Learner awareness trips
• Introduction to Freediving course
• Accommodation (dorm)
• Meals (3/day)
• Internet
• Local transport (incl. airport shuttle)

What’s Not Included

• International Flights
• Travel Insurance
• Laundry
• Weekend experiences
• Additional drinks and food
• Souvenirs
• Single Accommodation (optional addon)
• Specialized meal plan (optional addon)

Depending on your habits and lifestyle, it is usually suggested to add  between 4,000 and 6,000 South African Rand (approx. $300-500 USD) to your monthly budget. This would be for souvenirs, excursions, entertainment and other personal daily needs. A PADI Openwater diver course will cost USD500.  Due to the number of applications received and limited places, the owners unfortunately cannot accept all applying interns. Therefore, they do not welcome cancellations or date changes after the final confirmation and deposit has been paid. They request that a non-refundable USD500 deposit is paid within a week of booking into the internship as confirmation (foreign and local bank fees are for your own account). The remaining fee must be paid in full a month prior to your arrival in South Africa. In case of cancellation, they will attempt to move you to a preferred month that you are able to attend, however, they cannot offer refunds on deposits. If you would like to stay with us outside of the program dates (1st to the 28th) then they ask R500/day to cover food and accommodation.