Sea Search

29/05/2026

Help us count Heaviside's dolphins! Did you know ? To count dolphins - we photograph them and use scar and notches on the body and dorsal fin to identify individuals. By re-sightings those individuals over time and space - we can start to figure out how many animals there are, where they move, how long they stay in an area et etc.

However -- we can only get to sea so many days a year but the dolphins are out there every day!. Cape Town has a vibrant and busy marine conservation and tourism community. Become a citizen scientist and help us count them!

WHAT WE NEED: Good quality photographs of Heaviside's dolphins at sea (with a date and location).
HOW: Take your camera to sea when you go... or spend these wintery days checking through you existing photos (or even videos)!

Happywhale is making this work so much easier for scientists and citizen scientists to get involved. Upload direct, or get in touch about sharing with us and we can help with the uploads.

New photos, old photos -- all photos are welcome!

Many people have already contributed. More always welcome - please share :)

25/05/2026

The other week, our team had the opportunity to step into the studio and watch a live recording of the Leadership for Conservation in Africa - LCA Sparks Talks.

We got to hear from two legends of South African marine biology, George and Margo Branch, the minds behind The Living Shores of Southern Africa, a book that has shaped generations of scientists and ocean lovers in this country.

The inspiration kept coming with a talk from Leigh de Necker, who shared insights into the world of South African sharks.

A massive thank you to LCA for having us for the day!

07/05/2026

This is a very important update on seal and wildlife health in SA. Avian flu has a huge impact on seals and has been wiping out seal populations across the world over the last few years... only just discovered here.. well have to see where this goes. But combined with the rabies outbreak.. this is not good. Will keep you posted

06/05/2026

Catching up with some of our recent travels in the team - In March, Sasha travelled to Venice as an invited Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

She was among a select group of global participants at the International Symposium on Transformative Ocean Science, a high-level meeting focused on shaping the future of the European Commission’s Ocean Pact. An exciting opportunity to influence the next ten years of ocean strategy - with global policy often looking to European direction - sitting alongside NGOS, industry and academia was a real insight into how policy will affect ocean strategy into the next few decades. By participating in interdisciplinary working groups, Sasha and her fellow ECOPs ensured that early-career voices were heard in the co-design of key strategic outputs, including a White Paper, Policy Brief, and Strategic Roadmap.

However, alongside bridging into policy work, the week was not without opportunities to meet like-minded colleagues, drink plenty of Aperol Spritz, and spend afternoons exploring the canals by gondola.

22/04/2026

Got interviewed for this by the Beeb.. Can confirm. 1) It's an amazing spectacle 2) It can be chaotic, especially when you're juggling cameras, hydrophones, behavioral forms, steering wheels etc ..but we're very lucky to have been working on these supergroups for the last few years (and have several papers in the pipeline so stayed tuned)

On a misty morning in December, two photographers captured the images of 304 individual humpbacks – the highest number of large whales ever identified in a single day.

08/04/2026

The Killer Whale "Dream Team" is Heading to Algoa Bay

April marks an unofficial start of killer whale season in South Africa, and we are kicking things off with an addition to our research team. We recently welcomed Dr Paul Tixier to Cape Town, joining us from the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and the MARBEC research unit in Sète. Paul is an expert who has spent many years leading killer whale research at the Crozet Islands and is a co-supervisor of Aaron (PhD) and Lindiwe (MSc). Over the next few years, Paul will be based in Cape Town, splitting his time between Sea Search and the DFFE, bringing his French expertise to the team.

The season has already started strong, with a full month of fieldwork in Algoa Bay, in collaboration with Raggy Charters - Marine-Eco Cruises planned. This killer whale "dream team" is now gearing up for an intensive month ahead, focusing on collecting data through photo identification, biopsies for genetic analysis, and acoustic recordings. These efforts are essential for maximising the team's success when working with these notoriously elusive animals.

07/04/2026

Big news from the St. James sea wall! This March we launched our ‘Partici-paintory’ Workshops, part of our Listening for Life project!

We’ve teamed up with , Silent Labs, and through the Community have created a unique community experience that blends marine science with creative expression.

What is a Partici-paintory Workshop?
It’s a 1-hour Silent Lab sound journey where participants put on headphones and dive deep into the local underwater environment. You’ll be immersed in a soundscape curated by Sea Search, featuring actual recordings from False Bay:
🐋 False Bay whale song
🐬 Playful dolphin whistles
🦭 The barks of Cape Fur seals and calls of sea birds

While immersed in these sounds, participants help us remodel the iconic St. James sea wall mural, transforming the artwork from “Meet the Locals” to “Listening to the Locals.” It’s about more than just painting; it’s about mindful listening and connecting to the sounds of our ocean.

This March, we invited local youth groups to pilot the program and provide valuable feedback (thank you to everyone who joined!🙌). Now, we’re getting ready to open this experience to the public.

Look out for public workshop dates coming soon! 🐚✨

07/04/2026

March was a busy period for Sea Search, and we hit the ground running with several key updates. Most notably, we contributed to the Threats and PVA (Population Viability Analysis) Workshop for Humpback dolphins, organised by the

Simon and Sasha spent several days at the Houw Hoek Hotel alongside fellow Sousa Consortium members and various local and national stakeholders, with Tess joining on the last day for an annual Consortium meeting. This workshop is part of a multi-year initiative to develop a formal Biodiversity Action Plan for Humpback dolphins in South Africa.

Much like the efforts previously established for the African penguin, this dolphin species is currently at a crossroads. Urgent attention is required to determine the best course of action for their protection. During the workshop, we addressed several vital questions such as

What are the actual primary threats to the population? Where should we prioritise our efforts in the coming years? How can we best predict and model their population trajectory over the next 100 years?

This workshop served as a foundational step. We have a larger meeting scheduled later this year to bring together a broader, more diverse group of stakeholders to advance the action plan.

Thanks to the Houw Hoek Hotel for hosting us and feeding us, and to the event sponsors, Marine Dynamics and Tourvest, for making this collaboration possible.

26/03/2026

More information on our upcoming residential bioacoustics field courses in 2026

Join us in the heart of Kruger National Park for a hands-on, immersive course in applied bioacoustics for conservation and practice, delivered in collaboration with the Organization for Tropical Studies and the African Bioacoustics Community.

📍 Where: Skukuza Research Station, Kruger National Park, South Africa
📅 When:
• 10–23 May 2026
• 20 Sept–3 Oct 2026

Over two weeks, you can expect a balance of fieldwork, practical training, and theory. Mornings are often spent out in the field recording natural soundscapes, while afternoons focus on analysing data and building skills using tools like Raven, BirdNET and Kaleidoscope.

You’ll learn how animals use sound for communication and behaviour, and how these signals can be applied to monitor biodiversity and ecosystem health. The course will take you from recording individual species through to interpreting entire soundscapes, with a strong emphasis on real-world conservation applications.

You’ll also develop skills in study design, equipment setup, and data management, working closely with experienced researchers and a small cohort of participants.

This course is designed for graduate students, early-career researchers, and conservation practitioners looking to apply acoustic methods in meaningful, field-based contexts.

If you have any questions just pop us a message or apply through the OTS website, looking forward to seeing you in the bush!

25/03/2026

Cape Town Recording Diaries: Hippos on the Vlei

The ABC team headed out to Rondevlei Nature Reserve for a day of recording birdlife, and hopefully spotting the famously elusive hippos…

Safe to say, it delivered.

We were joined by our newest team member Danielle (all the way from the Netherlands!) for her very first Recording Session and what a way to start!

With summer coming to a close, we caught the tail end of the migratory season just in time. The day was packed with sightings:
🦅 A pair of Jackal Buzzards on the hunt
🪶 Hundreds of pelicans
🦅 A Rock Kestrel soaring overhead
…and the highlight: two hippos, with tracks alarmingly close to our bird hide

Field days, 5 minutes from the office, don’t get much better than this.