Red Sea Dolphins Project

The Red Sea is home to sixteen species of cetaceans (dolphins and whales) which attract people from all around the world. Eight species of which are considered to be regular species of the Red Sea. These species are: the Common Bottlenose Dolphin, the Indopacific Bottlenose Dolphin, the Spinner Dolphin, the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, the Long Beaked Common Dolphin, the Risso’s Dolphin, the Humpback Dolphin and the Bryde’s Whale. While the other eight are considered rare.

Over the last two decades, the living resources of the Red Sea have suffered from an array of human activities including irrational land use, intensive coastal development, overfishing, pollution and curio trade. In addition, the Red Sea is potentially at great risk from the impacts of climate change. The effect of human impacts on marine resources is difficult to quantify due to the lack of scientific research.

Despite the recognition of the value of the natural treasures of the Red Sea from both an ecological and economic perspective, the pursuit of the required knowledge to conserve and sustainably manage these resources has been slow.

The goals of Red Sea Dolphins Project are:

• To introduce you to the Dolphins and whales of the Red Sea, their biology, behavior and distribution.
• To raise awareness about the various threats cetaceans of the Red Sea are facing as well as their ecological role.
• To recognize the importance of monitoring cetacean activities and provide you with an opportunity to participate in Dolphin and whale conservation and citizen science programs. As well as to enable the divers and snorkelers to plan, organize and execute a dive or snorkeling tour with Dolphins, in a safe and passive manner.