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Marine conservation wildlife

What will you see in the ocean is one of the questions that travellers ask before choosing a marine conservation holiday. Manta rays, gigantic whale sharks, dolphins and turtles are just some of the stars, while snorkelling over a healthy reef busy with hundreds of different fish species is an unforgettable highlight. Read on for more information on marine conservation wildlife.

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Marine conservation wildlife

The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish

- Jacques Cousteau, oceanoghrapher

Whale sharks

Whale Sharks are the largest fish in the ocean; they grow up to 19m in length and can weigh up to 15 tonnes living for between 100-150 years. They eat plankton and small fish and are harmless to people, but their gentle nature makes them an easy target for hunters after their meat and fins, and they also die from boat collisions and entrapment in fishing nets. Diving with whale sharks is a thrilling, rewarding experience, but their very presence is dependent on the health of spawning fish aggregations. Like many of their shark relatives, whale sharks are in decline and they are classified as endangered.

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Coral reefs

Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems, housing tens of thousands of marine species including octocoral, sea turtles, hundreds of species of fish, molluscs and sponges. About one-third of all marine fish species live part of their lives on coral reefs and despite their importance to marine life, the world's total adds up to less than one percent of the sea floor - an area about the size of France. They have a very slow growth rate, developing from 10cm to as little as 0.3cm per year and, shockingly, one quarter of all coral reefs worldwide are damaged beyond repair. The remaining healthy reefs are incredibly vulnerable to temperature change, pollution and human touch.

Sea turtles

Sea turtles are one of the most ancient creatures in existence and the seven species that can be found today have been around for 110 million years. The sea turtle's shell, or 'carapace' is streamlined for swimming through the water and unlike tortoises, they can't retract their legs and head into their shells. Slaughtered for their meat, skin and shells, sea turtles also suffer from egg theft and nearly all species are now classified as endangered.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Marine conservation or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

What can you see and where?

Polly Alford, from our supplier, ReefCI, shares her knowledge of marine life in Belize:
"Belize is on the migratory path for the whale sharks, which are the biggest fish in the sea. You can see more whale sharks in Punta Gorda than anywhere else in Belize and you can see them at any time of year. There are lots of other species of shark in Belize including nurse sharks and silky sharks, but that doesn't mean you'll see lots of sharks all the time and it's always an incredible reward when you do. You can also expect to see sting rays, moray eels, turtles, big snappers and big groupers."

More about Marine conservation

Marine conservation travel guide

Let us take you underwater with our marine conservation travel guide, discovering whether dipping your toe into marine conservation is the right kind of holiday for you and learning a little more about what this kind of trip entails.

Choosing a marine conservation holiday

With research projects, land-based projects and some that involve diving, marine conservation holidays differ quite considerably.

Where to go on a marine conservation holiday

Our interactive map and highlights page details some of the best places in the world for marine conservation holidays.

Marine conservation activities

Aside from taking the chance to explore your underwater world, marine conservation activities will also take you above the ocean wave with time to get out and about, as you live alongside the locals, just as important as what lies beneath.

Lionfish spearing marine conservation

It’s not usually the done thing, killing fish around a highly protected reef system, but lionfish spearing in Belize is one exciting exception.

Marine conservation in the Seychelles

Volunteer with marine conservation in the Seychelles to combine a holiday in paradise with an award winning effort to restore the ecosystems and native biodiversity of North Island.

Marine conservation in Timor-Leste

Marine conservation holidays in Timor-Leste revolve around the island of Ataúro, whose waters are packed with a diverse collection of fish and other marine life, all flitting around some of the best corals the planet has to offer.

Marine conservation advice

We’ve garnered some tips from our friends in marine conservation including training advice, work-holiday balance tips, location advice and how to do marine conservation safely.