Interactive Research in Sodwana Bay
Fortunately people have enquiring minds.
The diversity of the environment in Sodwana Bay is astounding. Both on land and underwater there are numerous creatures that have intrigued people so much, that they want to find out all they can about them.
Being a marine protected area and a national park on land, the animal's daily routines continue largely unaffected by human interference. Providing an excellent oppurtunity to study them undisturbed in their natural environment.
Current projects include the turtles, the rocky shoreline, corals, nudibranchs, ragged-tooth sharks, whale sharks and a living fossil the coelacanth.
During the summer months between December and March, turtles congregate to lay eggs in the sand on the unspoilt beaches. At the same time, female ragged-tooth sharks move up from the south to gestate their pups on the shallow quarter mile reef habitat before turning back south to give birth to their fully formed babies.
The reefs of Sodwana Bay are incredibly healthy with dense coral cover and a thriving reef community. There are more than one hundred species of coral and over 300 nudibranchs have been seen here, with a few entries completely new to science.
The shallowest known sighting of the coelacanth was reported here in the Jesser Canyon at 58 meters and has been filmed by a submarine and technical divers on deep air mixes.
The largest fish of the ocean - the whale shark is also a frequent visitor to our coastline with over 300 documented sightings between October 2006-2007.
To find out more and what you can do to help, click on the advertisers links to the right and start learning more about our precious resources.