On Tuesday 4 March, the Dyer Island Conservation Trust and Marine Dynamics team were alerted of a stranded eagle ray, Myliobatis aquila, at Franksraal beach. Upon arrival, marine guides Sandra Hörbst, Susy Alexandersen and skipper Hennie Odendaal identified an additional ray stranding of the same species. One individual appeared to be a recent stranding whilst the second was slightly degraded hinting [...]
The HMS Birkenhead is known worldwide for the bravery of the men who, under the captain’s command, stood back with the motto "women and children first." Also referred to as HM Troopship Birkenhead or Steam Frigate Birkenhead, she was one of the first iron-hulled ships built for the Royal Navy. Initially designed as a steam frigate, she was later converted into [...]
The African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) opened its doors in February 2015, a vision that took flight from the pages of Wilfred Chivell’s little black notebook. As the founder of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, he dreamt of a facility that could rehabilitate endangered seabirds. What began as a drawing of single container with a porta pool grew [...]
The KruShan Foundation, led by Kruger and Shannon du Plessis, has been a crucial partner for the Dyer Island Conservation Trust and its African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, in the fight to save the critically endangered African Penguin and support marine conservation efforts in the Overstrand region. From funding a Seabird Ranger on Dyer Island to supporting medical care at the [...]
An early morning departure from Kleinbaai Harbour on 20 January, with the initial goal of deploying underwater video systems, took a turn as news arrived that a large, deceased fish was found floating in Jouberstdam, brought to our attention by fisherman Johan Stoop. The team on board research vessel Lwazi, consisting of skippers Hennie Odendaal and Dickie Chivell, marine biologist Amy [...]
On Wednesday, December 4th, the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, powered by Marine Dynamics, undertook an extraordinary six-hour, 180-kilometer expedition to release a Rockhopper penguin back into the Agulhas Current. Earlier this year, the penguin had stranded on our shores, underweight and bearing a few wounds. It was admitted to the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) for treatment, rest, and recovery. [...]
On Sunday, November 17, 2024, Wilfred Chivell, CEO of Marine Dynamics and Founder of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, gathered close friends, colleagues, and family to honor Dr. Leonard Joseph Victor Compagno (1943–2024), a true pioneer in the field of shark, ray, and ghost shark research. Wilfred expressed that he felt deeply honored to know that Dr. Len’s final resting place [...]
The Dyer Island Conservation Trust Marine Month competition has become an eagerly anticipated event for Overstrand schoolchildren aged 7 to 14. They enter not only for a chance to win a Marine Dynamics Marine Safari but also to let their creativity shine, inspired by the beauty of our oceans! This was the 8th year the schools competition took place, raising awareness [...]
The Ambitious Mission of the Mouse-Free Marion Project Our recent Marine Evening welcomed guest speaker, Dr Anton Wolfaardt, Project Manager of the Mouse-Free Marion Project, who presented a powerful vision for Marion Island—a South African sub-Antarctic treasure—united by a common goal: to restore its ecosystem by eradicating invasive house mice. This ambitious conservation initiative aims to address the devastating impact of [...]
Artificial nests can increase breeding rates of critically endangered African penguins, a Nelson Mandela University-led study has found. The international team of researchers from South Africa and the UK found that artificial nests outperformed natural nests and increased breeding output by 16.5%. Did you know that these artificial penguin nests, was invented right here in Gansbaai by CEO of Marine Dynamics and [...]
