Volunteering For Ocean Conservation Projects In Africa

By Harold Moore


Ocean conservation is the protection of the ocean and sea environment, namely from man intervened. The oceans and seas are vulnerable to the advancement of the human race. The ocean is also susceptible to manmade pollution. The fish and other water animals are susceptible to man's desire for food. Men also hunt fish and other water animals for sport thus harming the delicate water ecosystems. For many centuries, man has taken advantage of the oceans and seas, but there are some organizations that practice Ocean Conservation.

You can find whale sharks in warm and tropical oceans and live for around 70 years. Although they were thought to feed mainly on plankton, the BBC program Planet Earth caught a shark feeding on a school of small fish. Their anatomy has evolved to allow them to be very effective when they are feeding and their large mouths which can be up to 1.5 metres wide allow them to collect and filter their food.

Considering their size you would think whale sharks would pose some danger to humans, however, in reality, they are docile fish and are not violent. Some divers have even suggested that the juveniles can be playful while they are in the water with them. One area where the sighting of a whale shark is reasonably common is in the Maldives, where a large preservation project of the coral reef includes the monitoring of whale sharks.

In 1997 the government in the Maldives produced a report which said that there was to be more research into the preservation of the coral reefs and the fish and other invertebrates living in and around it so that it could remain in the pristine condition you currently find it. For this reason, there are many preservation projects currently in place across the archipelago and whale sharks are one of their main subjects.

Offshore oil exploration is a danger to the seas and the seas. The world relies on oil and the fact that there is a multitude of crude oil off the shore of many countries makes offshore drilling very profitable for oil production companies. But it takes only one mistake to cause an environmental disaster.

Swimming with the Dolphins and Whales- When you think of the residents of the sea, you are likely to think of dolphins or whales, the seas most popular sea creatures. Unfortunately, both these are under threat and have become the focus of wildlife preservation groups. You can play a role in the study of these creatures and learn more about them and the efforts to preserve them.

Many coastal towns and communities around the world still heavily rely on fishing as the main source of revenue, which unfortunately very often undermines sea ecosystems. Fishing fleets annually dredge areas of the sea floor twice the size of the United States. These actions cause damage to habitats that may take years, sometimes decades to recover.

Pollution unfortunately gets into the sea from many sources and can make swimmers unwell and obviously adversely impact the environment for marine life. Conservation work in this area usually focuses on educating locals about the effects of pollution and littering, as well as obviously some clean-up efforts to help prevent animals from ingesting elements accidentally, which can have fatal consequences.




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