Whale and dolphin conservation in the Canary Islands

Want to volunteer with whales and dolphins? Want to make sure it’s done ethically? Our whale and dolphin conservation program, based on the warm-weathered island of Tenerife, might be the program for you!

Only about three to five hours from most major European locations, Tenerife is one of the top locations for whale and dolphin watching. Between 20 and 28 species can be spotted here. Understandably, a popular activity for Tenerife tourists is whale and dolphin watching. But unsustainable tourism practices now threaten these species. As a result, many species of whales and dolphins are listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened. Several are also classified as data deficient, meaning that information about their populations is lacking.

You can help to change this! Part of your role will be to spend time on a boat with other international volunteers and observe whales and dolphins in their natural habitat; taking photographs and recording their numbers and behaviours. You’ll also spend time on local beaches, where you’ll help to clean them and record environmental factors that might affect the health of marine life.

The information you collect will be used by local organisations to make decisions about setting and enforcing environmental policies. It will also be used by local and international organisations to learn about the long-term effects of threats to whale and dolphin conservation and other marine species.