Since time immemorial, whales have played a vital role in South Africa’s coastal heritage and the lives of the communities along our shores. These majestic creatures inspire awe, fuel myths, and have long been an integral part of our marine ecosystem.

With the South African Whale Centre, we embrace the national responsibility of promoting sustainable marine conservation while celebrating our rich maritime history.

Header photograph of a Humpback Whale courtecy of Jean Tresfon.

The South African Whale Centre is proud to partner with the MRI Whale Unit, one of Africa’s leading marine mammal research groups. Based at the University of Pretoria, the MRI Whale Unit has been studying whales and dolphins in South African waters since 1985, producing globally respected science that helps protect these iconic species.   

Research, Conservation and Education are interlinked to execute forward-looking programmes, integral for the understanding of conservation priorities for African cetaceans.

Through our partnership, we work together to make this important research accessible to the public—bringing real science to life through engaging exhibitions, educational programmes, and community outreach. This includes sharing findings from long-term projects such as the southern right whale aerial survey, which monitors whale population health and plays a vital role in international conservation efforts. By linking research and education, this partnership helps foster a deeper understanding of our oceans and inspires people of all ages to care for South Africa’s unique marine environment.

MRI Whale Unit

The MRI Whale Unit possesses a wealth of expertise, intellectual property, and well-established knowledge resource bases. It has current national and international collaborations with over 30 organisations, is the lead in various research consortia and is actively involved in the work of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (the intergovernmental body responsible for the management of whale populations) as well as the related Southern Ocean Research Partnership.

Multidisciplinary activities range across a broad national and international geographic and institutional spectrum and align within these themes:

Recovering Whales – The role of large whales in Southern Hemisphere Ocean Ecosystems.

Large migratory whale population abundance and trends, and the related impacts of climate change.

Large whale feeding ecology and migratory behaviour.

Cetaceans of the South African EEZ – Assessment of seasonal distribution and relative abundance of cetacean species in South African waters.

Capacity building – Building marine mammal research capacity in Africa.

Management and policy – Application of science-based knowledge for the creation of national and international Conservation Management Plans.

Visit the Marine Mammal Research Institute Website.