Sharklife Conservation Group made it possible for me to achieve a lifelong dream of mine, to work directly with sharks in our delicate ocean. My name is Jo Lindell, from Sweden, and while I was pursuing my Master's in Marine Biology in Gothenburg, I obtained the contact details of one of Sharklife's lead researchers through a friend of mine. With Sharklife, I was able to conduct and plan my master thesis, investigating how recreational fishing was affecting elasmobranchs in South Africa. So for three months, between February and April (2023), I flew down to this little rural town Sodwana Bay and was warmly welcomed by an organization that made me feel right at home and a part of a family. Working with such a passionate and dedicated team at Sharklife made this trip something else. The amount of experience and knowledge the team at Sharklife possess was both inspiring and immensely helpful in overcoming the many challenges that a thesis can present. I even had the pleasure, with a little luck and good timing, of networking with people working outside of Sharklife for other organizations and lead researchers in South Africa by studying alongside them.  In terms of living life in Sodwana, there's nothing like it. Working/studying/interning at Sharklife included working on the boat out in the ocean conducting in situ fieldwork, improving your freediving at any given chance and encountering all the amazing wildlife. However, when you are not on the boat you will sit in a charming office working with the gathered data, or if being a  student you will work on your project, with cats running across your desk, chickens chatting around you and a occasional snake visiting the camp. A lot of preparation goes down for the upcoming boat day and it can be hard work but it is also very rewarding waking up early to go out on the beach with the excitement of working out there and what animals you might encounter. …

I traveled from the US to spend one month with Sharklife and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made (I only wish I could have stayed longer). If you’ve been looking for a program to gain experience in shark / marine conservation then look no further; you’ve found the perfect one. I can say this confidently because Sharklife is like no other organization you will find in your search. Something I appreciated about Sharklife that was very hard to find in my search of shark research internships was that their research is completely non-invasive. Everyone there is so dedicated to making a positive difference through their research and truly values the life of every living creature. I also loved how much the interns were fully immersed in the field research. Don’t worry if you’re coming in with little-no experience in this type of work (like me) because you will be taught everything you need to know. I wanted to do an internship working with sharks to confirm that I am following the right path in life since it is my dream to work in shark conservation. Sharklife absolutely showed me that this is the type of work I would love to continue to do throughout my future and I am extremely grateful to have been able to spend a month there. Thank you Grant, Candice, Candice P, and Romain for everything you taught me and for all the amazing work you do.  Here’s my email if you have questions  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. :)…

I'm an Italian student from the University of South Wales MSc Wildlife Conservation and Management and I spent 1 month with Sharklife, working on my final thesis project.  It was a great experience! I got to gain practical experience in conservation and scientific research, always supported by experienced and professional people. The wildlife encounters were nothing short of sensational! Definitely one of the best experiences of my life. Living in the camp with people who share your passion makes it even more enjoyable and less tiring. All Sharklife staff are extremely knowledgeable, available for any need and ready to help in any circumstance.  I am certain that everything I learned during this experience will be crucial to my future career.  Thanks!!   …

I volunteered with Sharlife for two months in February/March 2023. I don't have any bio or scientific background, it was purely to fulfill my passion for sharks, be closer to them, understand them better and play a role in their protection.And this part was beautifully delivered.Even without backgrounds volunteers participates in every aspects of the missions, from launching the boat, changing cameras underwater, testing and assisting in new research methods, to uploading and sorting the data. In February I was lucky to be able to freedive very closely with many Ragged tooth sharks, in March encountered a group of Mantas twice, Dolphins...Turtles and many other types of rays became almost usual.I also saw a few white tips, black tips, and even some bull sharks from a distance.The atmosphere at camp was welcoming and laid back, only serious when needed. The staff was really nice, and always ready to help and support to make the stay enjoyable and convenient. The location is far from the city which is nice for nature's lover. There are very nice walks around, you can see many unusual insects, birds, chameleons... If I have to look out for a cons... it was maybe food, you may not find a lot of variety in the shops around, so if you're picky bring your spices, herbs and whatever you like or need to cook with you !…

I am a student in Switzerland, and I spent one month with Sharklife. It was an incredible experience being a part of a kind and passionate team. The beauty of nature and biodiversity is breathtaking, both on land and in the sea. I would 100% recommend anyone interested in pursuing a career in marine biology, or anyone passionate about environmental conservation, to consider working with Sharklife.  The workdays are the best, and you live unforgettable moments during your diving and freediving sessions, as well as aboard the boat. It's an experience to add to your bucket list. PS : Savannah's are the best, just try it.…

I am a student from Switzerland who volunteered for 1 month with Sharklife. It was a fantastic experience to work with a team passionnate about their work, it was a great experience that I would recommend a 100% to whoever is interested into marine biology and conservation.…

Just wanted to send everyone at Sharklife a quick note to thank you for the wonderful month I recently spent with you!  It was an incredible experience learning about some of the research you’re doing in and around Sodwana Bay, and also discovering the intricacies of how BRUV data is gathered and processed! The friendliness and professionalism of the camp, dive, and boat operations teams was also quite fantastic, and I feel I learned so much from everyone throughout my stay for which I am very grateful. Sharks, rays, diving, boats, the ocean, tide pools, beach, and wonderful people!  I completely recommend it to anyone hoping to gain field experience in marine biology, and very much hope I will be able to return and work with you again soon!  Cheers and very best wishes, Tino :-)…

Yeboooo! I only spent one month at Sharklife, but if it was up to me, I would stay forever. It wasn't my first shark internship in South Africa, but it was certainly the best one by far. I don’t have any educational background in ocean conservation, so working with such knowledgeable professionals was an absolute delight making every learning opportunity engaging and meaningful. Their passion for the ocean and love for sharks are both admirable and contagious. Sharklife succeeded in striking the perfect balance between science and fun, ensuring that we never missed out on the adventure and excitement of exploring the underwater world. The unpredictability and beauty of these encounters made every boat trip a unique and thrilling experience. Will you find yourself swimming alongside eight enormous feeding manta rays? Is the hammerhead just posing on the BRUV footage while you enjoy a sandwich a few meters above? Will the boat suddenly stop to avoid colliding with a pod of dolphins? Will you be the fortunate one to spot one of the first whales of the season? Are you going on a quick date with a very inquisitive Raggie? Will you witness two stunning female tiger sharks destroying the sardine box on the BRUV you just deployed? You never know! (And yes, all of this happened within the brief four weeks of my stay at Sharklife). Candice, Grant, Candice JP and Romi – I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity, your dedication, enthusiasm, and knowledge, and for everything you do for the ocean every single day.…

I am a volunteer from Germany and spent 1 month helping at Sharklife. During the short period of time, I learnt a lot about sharks, scientific field work and the marine environment as a whole. Although I am not a professional biologist, everyone was very kind to explain their workings and we were able to help their ongoing research from day 2. We launched almost almost 5 times a week, spending a lot of time in the water. Of course some days we stayed and caught up with office work, but in general, every day had a bit of both. It does take a bit to understand what you are doing, so I would definitely reccomend to stay longer if you want to contribute more. The people were amazing and Sodwana Bay is just something you have to see with your own eyes!  It definitly allowed me to gain some experience in the marine biology field and if I choose that path, I would be incredibly happy to work with them again!  p.d. be prepared for load shedding, not many food options and a lot of sun ;)…

I am ever so proud to have been a part of the Sharklife family. I was at Sharklife for nine months whilst undertaking a project for my bachelors, gaining experience in the field, and having the most incredible experiences of my life so far. Upon coming into Sharklife I was welcomed with open arms into a community full individuals with such beautiful passion for marine conservation. Everyone at Sharklife is super friendly and approachable, you can expect to feel at home and make friends ever so quickly. You are a part of a positive and supportive team where you will see growth in yourself and in your skills everyday. There are constant opportunities to learn when surrounded by people as inspirational as Candice, Grant, Candice and Romain. Their passion for the marine world and dedication for making a change is infectious. I am truly grateful for the time I got to spend at Sharklife. It is a great opportunity and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Sodwana Bay is a magical place, with THE BEST ocean experiences, and is filled with great people from all over the world. If you have any questions feel free to DM me on instagram @ellie.gw…

I am a German undergraduate student in the field of biomimicry and spent 3 months with Sharklife from September to December 2022 as part of my practical semester. Working as a marine biologist and especially a shark researcher has always been one of my dreams and that even after choosing a rather engineering oriented career and I am so glad that I had the chance to get a glimpse of that life with participating in the intern program of Sharklife. Despite some insecurities in the beginning and challenges along the way (location of rural South Africa, security, having a culture shock, no electricity during load shedding, not feeling comfortable in the rough ocean sea without being able to see the ground beneath me and troubles with equalizing while diving) I definitely don't regret having chosen to go there because it was a great experience and a good possibility to not only overcome those struggles but also to learn so many things about sharks and rays, diving, all the work behind conducting scientific research in this quite challenging environment, working in a team and enjoying life as it is (sometimes with electricity, sometimes without ;) got to keep so many memories of the amazing encounters we had with a unexpected school of hammerheads, manta rays or a humpback whale with calf which swam by us mere meters away from us - once in a lifetime events (or maybe not I hope). I am very grateful for Grant Smith for having taught us so much as well as helping us if we needed anything and also for writing me a letter of recommendation I needed for an university application and for Candice Smith for having made sure that we always felt well and cared for. Furthermore, also thank you to Candice Parks and Romie for guiding us on land or in the water during the internship and to Michelle and Kent for fun times and teaching us to squeak so that we can talk to dolphins. I still miss Sodwana Bay and the people there very much.…

I spent one month at Sharklife in Sodwana Bay and it was definitely one of the best months of my life and I wish it had been longer. I am not a biologist, but a physicist form Germany, so it was very interesting for me to see how work is done in this field of science. During my time at Sharklife I was able to get a good insight into the scientific methods of Sharklife and to work on them as part of the team. During the boat trips, there were often unexpected wildlife encounters, which I will never forget in my life. During these encounters, care was always taken not to disturb the animals in their natural behavior or to get too close to them, which I found very good. Sodwana Bay is an incredibly beautiful place that I will always carry in my heart. I am very grateful to Sharklife for this opportunity and the beautiful moments I was able to experience there.…

I am a palaeontologist from Norway, that specialises on extinct sharks. I decided to join sharklife as I wanted to get some more experience with living sharks and biological sciences. I stayed for 2 months. The internship did certaintly not disappoint. It was a very valuable experience, and I appreciated the focus on the science. I learned a lot, both in the field and the office. Also the free diving training was a great bonus.    I highly recommend the program.…

Hi, I was a research assistant at Sharklife for 1 month, i am currently a student in bachelor of biology in France. It was my first time going to South Africa and thanks' to all the amazing staff ( workers, students, volunteers) I felt like home!  Thank you so much for everything! It was my first time doing freediving, and i was properly coached by the staff ( thank you Candice Jp and Romain)! they were there if i was  worried or had questions, they made me feel comfortable in the water. Also on the boat everybody is helping each other giving advice and showing how to get the work done to! ( Thank you again Grant for the boat)  Also if you want to do scuba diving I recommend you try it or continue your courses because it is the right place to do it! I learned a lot about the techniques used to survey the sharks and other elasmobranch but also to learn how to use the data collected. Which is really interesting because if you seek to work as marine biologist or in the field of conservation it is good to see all the different techniques used and for what purpose to! But it is also interesting to discover if you are not familiar with that! I came to develop skills on the field, learn new things, discover the beauty of the sea and I experienced even more  by meeting some awesome people from all around the world, helping with the conservation of shark and learning new things about what i am capable of doing! If you are  worried about practical things like shopping, withdraw money, go the doctor or activities you want to do Candice S will gladly help you and be responsible for you! Also in camp you have everything you need to feel comfortable! As a woman I was worried to travel alone to another country, but  I felt really safe with Sharklife in Sodwana Bay. Thank you again Candice S and Grant for everything you built with Sharklife and all the passion you have and communicate to others! Please feel free to contact me…

I spent 3 months at Sharklife at the end of 2022 working on my master's thesis. Not only did I find a hard working and professional environment, that lead me to graduate with honors, but I also had the chance to experience once-in-a-lifetime encounters with humpback whales, schooling hammerhead and so many more iconic creatures, and the freediving experience acquired in this time significantly helped me in landing a job in the Maldives. You cannot find better people than Shaklife's staff: passionate, determined, supportive and enthusiastic. SharkLife is where real science happens (and it's SO MUCH FUN!). Ngiyabonga SharkLife family!…

I was a research assistant from Venezuela and spent 1 month with Sharklife. I found it to be a valuable experience overall since I did not have much research experience before this. It made me realised that I wanted to focus my career in marine and elasmobranch research. I will definitely recommend it to anyone looking to gain more experience working in the marine biology field.…

I spent 3 months as an intern with Sharklife. I got to enjoy amazing wildlife while learning and using scientific methods. You get to know so many different people from different places, and from different backgrounds, but at Sharklife everyone becomes part of the same family. I would definitely recommend anyone interested in marine life to join the amazing team. There is something for everyone. I am very grateful for the time I got to spend at Sharklife. Sodwana Bay will always stay close to my heart. …

Between August and October I spent two months as an intern at Sharklife and I can only say good things about it. I am a shark enthusiast since when I was young and this experience was a dream come true. Here I had the possibility to dive, free-dive and snorkel with a great amount of sharks and other amazing creatures, I learned different survey techniques and all the work that lies beyond data collection and analysis. Grant and Candice are two amazing people that put a lot of love and effort in what they do and it is extraordinary to see how much they care about the wildlife that surrounds them; Romain and Candice are always there to help, are really competent in their job and knows how to make you feel at home from the first day you meet them. Overall this experience has been overwhelmingly positive both for the experience gained and for personal growth; I would recommend this experience to anyone and hope to have the chance to work with them again. Feel free to contact me for any question Instagram: tiziano_golles email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.…

My name is Sarah, and I am a graduate student from Northeastern University in Boston, USA. The months I spent at Sharklife were some of the best of my life! Your coworkers become friends, and more often than not they become family. Candice P and Romain are phenomenal supervisors and are always eager to help and teach. Grant, aka Uncle G, is the best skipper/mentor/boss out there. Sodwana Bay has some of the most beautiful reefs I have ever seen, and the marine life is incomparable. If you're considering joining the Sharklife fam, feel free to reach out to me with any questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. :)…

I am a volunteer from Austria and spent one month with Sharklife this summer. I myself did not study marine biology or conservation but the team and other interns were great at introducing me to the field. It was an absolutely amazing experience learning about sharks, the conservation efforts of the organization and being able to help them with their data collection and analysis. The days out on the boat will stay with me forever. The ocean and the coast are beautiful. The boat trips were really special, as we got to see a huge number of humpback whales who were migrating through the area. Thank you for the wonderful time, the valuable learning experiene and the interesting conversations!…

Sharklife is the best family I have had. Not only I found one of the best teams ever, but also a great workplace environment. Every staff member is orientated to supporting you, teaching from their vast wealth of experience, and making you feel special in your own way. Research is conducted with excellent quality and a problem-solving mindset is definitely one skill that you will develop. Grant and Candice are wonderful human beings that provide personal knowledge in fieldwork as well as make sure you will be feeling more than welcome. Candice P and Roman have a fantastic working attitude and never make you feel alone or inferior to anyone else. They support you during your permanence in Sodwana, instructing and supporting you in acquiring fundamental research skills helpful for your future, and for sure, sharing their passion for sharks, rays and any possible element of this insane marine life ecosystem. Sodwana Bay will always be a fundamental part of my life as well as being in my heart for what we have been through together. This experience will be mandatory if you want to have a glimpse of research in marine conservation and science, or else if you want to add a super-important step in your career. With love, faith and respect  Filippo…

I first worked with Sharklife in November of 2021 as an intern. In this time, I gained the most valuable experience of my scientific career so far. The small group size allows you to be fully immersed into the research environment and it truly feels like your education and growth is the priority. This experience over the summer season was so incredible that I decided to return in the winter to collect data for my undergraduate thesis. Returning to Sharklife for my research project allowed me to experience a different side to working in the field. I felt the perfect balance between being supported by the Research Staff – Candice and Romain and being given space to work independently allowing me to develop essential skills. Furthermore, I gained critical life skills outside of the research environment which I will value for a long time. I will be forever grateful for everything that I learnt during my time with the Sharklife team. I had so much fun working with you guys!! I’m so excited to see where they take their drive and passion to protect and conserve in the future. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on WhatsApp (+60 167437422). …

My name is Jess, I'm from the United States and I was an intern with Sharklife for 2 months, but I wish I could have stayed longer! Being an intern at Sharklife was the most incredible experience of my life, and best internship I've ever done. The staff are amazing people with a lot of experience. I love Sharklife's mission and dedication to conservation, everyone there is so passionate about the marine environment and elasmobranchs. If you want more dive experience, once in a lifetime animal encounters with amazing dive sites, exposure to different cultures, and to assist in something truly important for the environment and research... then Sharklife is perfect. It's a great internship to get your foot in the door with shark conservation and research, with a LOT of incredible personal experiences with it. I'll cherish my time spent in Sodwana for the rest of my life, and hope to be able to go back someday. …

What an incredible experience! I spent 6 weeks with Sharklife between May - June to collect data for my dissertation. It was an amazing opportunity to learn from Grant about marine conservation, shark ecology, basic seamanship, and freediving skills. Candice, and Romain were extremely helpful as my supervisors and made my data collection a memorable adventure. Aside from the unbelievable days at sea, Candice is very helpful in organising cool trips on off days.  Sodwana Bay is a special place, and I would definitely like to come back at some point!…

What a month! Wish I could stay for longer. You learn a lot and you really get imersed in the science work both practically and theoretically, in addition to that there will be leasure time that you will remember forever. Many warm thanks to the staff and team at sharklife!…

I am a postgraduate Marine science student, I spent 3 wonderful months with shark life to write my thesis about the identification and aboundance of rays in iSimangaliso Wetlands park.    I spent the most beautiful time of my life with really nice people. At sharklife everyday is a surprise and you are always learning new things! Even if my project was specific, I learnt a lot of things also about other topics.  I can't explain with words all the feelings and emotions that shark life gave to me, you just have to go! Please feel free to contact me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/silvia_leva/…

HI! I am a Master's student from Portugal and spent 6 months with Sharklife, from November 2021 until the end of April 2022. I can truly say that, after all that time, I called Sodwana Bay my "home away from home". I spent most of my time collecting data for my Master's thesis with the help of all the Sharklife's team and its interns. Grant taught me a lot, and his passion for conservation was genuinely inspiring. Candice Smith always made sure that everything ran smoothly, in and out of camp. Candice Parkes and Romain always helped me whenever I needed, I could not have done it without them, or without the help of the amazing interns! I've learned so much from all these people and I can honestly say I've made friends for life. Being able to have amazing and unexpected encounters with different species, marine or not, was always a heartwarming feeling that I will never forget! With that being said, my time in Sodwana was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences in my life! The country, the people, the knowledge, the ocean, everything. Everything made it so worth it. And if you are still not convinced you should go for it, (which you should be by now, I promise you, you won't regret it), feel free to DM me on instagram @saraadcc. I am forever grateful to this program and I hope to see you all again, someday! :)    …

I was a research assistant at sharklife for 2 months. Always being passionate about sharks, when Candice Parkes reached out to me about this internship, I knew it was exactly what I needed to do. It would take me ages to explain how amazing of a program SharkLife is. All of the knowledge you gain out on the field and in the office is truly astonishing. I walked away from SharkLife knowing more about elasmobranchs than I ever have before. Not only do you learn so much about the ocean life, you learn how to make new friendships and new memories. Things that stay with you for the rest of your life. From Candice and Grant Smith to Candice Parkes and Romain, I never felt alone or confused about anything. I am forever grateful for this program. I truly believe I will go back one day! P.s.: be careful with the gopros;) …

I stayed with Sharklife for 3 months, after my graduation, to gain some work experience and couldn't be happier about my stay. Grant and Candice care a lot about their interns and are constantly trying to improve their visits. I learned a lot about shark ecology and marine conservation, had amazing encounters with sharks, rays,  dolphins and other marine life, gained my first freediving level and even though my sea sickness struggle never ended, all the time we spent at sea and underwater was an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world! Please feel free to contact me on WhatsApp or by email, if you have any questions - +49 151/68103327/This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I didn't know, now I know - Thank you for everything, I hope I see you again someday!…

I am a Master's student and stayed with Sharklife between January and March 2022 to gather data for my thesis. There's no way I can put into words all the wonderful moments I had in Sodwana Bay during these 3 months, but I can honestly say it was the best experience of my life so far. I gained so much knowledge regarding marine biology, seamanship, actual real-life conservation and of course sharks and other elasmobranchs. The balance between ocean days and office work was essential for me to be able to achieve my thesis related goals, and because I am a Master's student, I was free to make my own schedule regarding that. Despite getting a bit tiring sometimes, it was all definitely worth it. Besides that, I was able to do some really cool activities during off days, most of them related to nature and wildlife. I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed my time with Sharklife so much was because of the wonderful team that accompanied me. Grant not only taught me so much, but was always on top of my thesis' research and made sure my data sampling was going on smoothly. On the other hand, Candice was tireless regarding checking if the interns were okay or needed something, besides organizing the cool off days' activities. Lastly but not least, Candice and Romain, Sharklife's researchers, my fellow interns from all around the world and also Dan made me feel like I belonged to a little family. I'm so grateful I met them and shared every single one of those amazing memories with such an incredible group of people. Overall, I would totally recommend joining Sharklife if you love marine conservation. It doesn't matter much if you are a student with some background or if you just really want to help and learn, but I would suggest having some diving certificate so you can take the most out of the experience. Either way, I'm sure you're going to have the time of your life, like I did! I will forever cherish my time with Sharklife, and I really hope I can one day come back :)…

I am from Hong Kong and I had the most incredible 3 months with Sharklife.  I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in marine conservation.  I have learnt so much here from all the field and office work.  Needless to say, the ocean here is beautiful and I had many amazing scuba and free dives here.  Thank you Grant, Candice S., Candice P., Romain and all the lovely people I have met here. They are truly passionate about research, conservation, and the environment.  They are all really kind, fun, open-minded, and willing to teach.  They also made an effort to ensure that I enjoyed my time here outside of work with all the excursions, and provided assistance whenever needed.  I hope Sharklife will continue to thrive and I look forward to coming back to visit one day!…

My Girlfriend and I (both 19) decided to travel the world for a year before going to University. We found Sharklife through a Volunteer website and although doubtful at first we soon decided to book everything and made our way from Austria to South Africa. Pretty much the day after arriving we knew that coming to Sharklife would be the best experience of our gap year. The Staff, other Interns, the Locals and pretty much everyone else there is extremely nice and welcoming. Working is really fun, you‘ll learn a lot during the boat excursions, while also seeing beautiful underwater landscapes and a lot of sharks. The lectures on sharks are very interesting and you‘ll be able to apply your newly learned skills and knowledge the next time you launch the boat. The same goes for freediving, which for me was an amazing opportunity that opened up a completely new way of exploring the underwater world besides scuba diving. So if you‘re unsure about working for Sharklife, trust me just go and if your not convinced yet you can text me on Whatsapp and ask whatever you want. -Ferdinand Binder…

Hi there! My name is Linn and I did an internship at Sharklife for two months, January to February 2022 (which was way too short if you ask me). I come from the cold county of Sweden and am currently on my last term of a bachelor in biology at university. I came to Sharklife to gain more experience in marine science, and that I definitely did! I've had so many amaxing encounters, got so much new knowledge and experiences, and it will all be very beneficial in my future career as a marine biologist. Also I learned how to freedive thanks to Grant. Sharklife is just the most amazing organization at the perfect spot and passionated people. I feel honored to be a part of Sharklife so of course I would highly recommend coming here to anyone. If you would like to contact me with questions, you are most welcome to at either +46761053395 (whatsapp) or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  …

Hi I'm Julie, I'm from the US, and I went to Sharklife for 3 months in 2021 in order to collect data for my Master's Thesis! I worked on their BRUV project to sample for elasmobranch diversity in the wintertime. My time in South Africa with Sharklife is one of the most memorable and rewarding things I've ever done. Each day offered new challenges and opportunities to learn about how incredible sharks are and why they are worthy of our conservation efforts. The research is so rewarding and I genuinely had fun each and every day of my stay. The diving in Sodwana is beautiful, the safari trips were so fun, and I absolutely loved getting to meet and work with people from all over the world! Everyone at Sharklife was so helpful teaching me new skills and the experience was truly incredible. I love talking about my time here and how it impacted me so if you have any questions at all reach out to me on instagram @julie_alberts6 or email @This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. :)…

My internship at Sharklife was life changing. I was meant to go for two weeks but I pushed it to three weeks because I didn't want to leave. I have always loved and respected the ocean and sharks, I thought I knew quite a bit, but I still learnt soo much whilst I was there. Saw the most amazing animals on our daily trips into the sea including bull and tiger sharks, so many rays and even more dolphins! The museum is so interesting and the people working there are amazing! I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new personal challenge (it can get quite physical), an educational experience or students interested in marine biology. They need so much help and support, please get involved!…

I was a research assistant at Sharklife from February 2021 to July 2021. I cannot put into words what an amazing experience I had during that time but I'll do my best! To start with, Candice and Grant are just the best; if you need anything or have trouble with something they are more than happy to help you out when you need it. From organising dives on your days off, giving you lifts to the local town for groceries or taking you to safari parks they go above and beyond to make sure their interns are having the best possible experience. They both also have a great sense of humour. The best part of working for Sharklife is the boat trips; the early morning starts are a small price to pay when you get to go out and see so many amazing creatures, like sharks and dolphins and, if you are lucky, even Manta Rays! The first time I saw one it was breathtaking. The work you do as an intern is very rewarding, especially when you're going through footage taken with the underwater cameras as you never knew what you'd see. I think my favorite thing that we managed to capture on those cameras were the baby Tiger Sharks, truly adorable. On top of seeing these amazing things, you're also gathering vital data that will be used to help these wonderful creatures so scrubbing down the boat to get all the salt water off of it is a small price to pay in my book if you ask me! In my down time I enjoyed scuba diving and safari park excursions, which were incredible. If you don't have a scuba qualification, not to worry, as you'll be given time off to go get your open water and even advanced dive certs at the local dive centre, which is a really nice thing for the guys at sharklife to do. It's definitely worth learning to scuba out there if you don't already know how, as once you do you'll be able to dive on Raggie, which is where you'll encounter sharks most often. The encounters I had there were out of this world! It's hard to condense five brilliant months into just a few paragraphs, but I can honestly say that I really enjoyed my time there and that I am definitely going to go again someday in the future :)…

Sharklife is an awesome organization that is really trying to bring awareness to shark conservation and why they are so important to the planet. All the staff are knowledgeable, and there is a lot of opportunity to grow and learn through this program.…

When I first got to Sharklife, I mentioned that I had never done anything like this before and Grant threw me a tool and said “just dive into the deep end”. I think that’s a perfect description of this experience. I came in knowing nothing about diving or boats but I was eager to learn, and I came out with knowledge and confidence in the skills I had built here. As long as you’re willing to try and learn, you will enjoy this experience. Sharklife is the perfect place to learn new skills and is filled with very welcoming and supportive people. If you have any questions and would like to talk about Sharklife, feel free to reach out to me! @hanabaldwin on Instagram or +1-551-214-9392 on WhatsApp…

Sharklife is a magnet for interesting and fun people. Whether you got a specific project in mind or just want to gain some extra research experience, you are in for a good time. There are lots of challenges to tackle but with an open-minded approach, you are going to learn how to solve problems and if you are stuck, the awesome team will always be happy to lend a hand. Feel free to leave a message to @sunshine_t_l on Instagram if you have got any questions!…

I absolutely loved my two week internship with Sharklife and would totally recommend it to anyone who has an interest in sharks (not just for students - for anyone). I can't believe how much the team packed into two weeks: lectures, studying specimens, practical boatwork (safety checks and preparation), ocean days, free dive training (theory and practice), and helping process real scientific data for use in the Raggie study. Before I joined, I was interested in sharks but didn't have any particular knowledge. Now I feel like I have more than a good grounding on them and the threats facing them - so much so that I feel equipped to present to my work colleagues on shark conservation and try and break down some of the standard prejudices most people have about sharks. The internship was not only a really valuable experience for me but also super fun too: cracking! I met some truly wonderful people at Sharklife (big shout out to the Team: Grant, Greg, Candice, Miriam, Emma - thank you for the hard work you do) and the other lovely interns too. I would have no hesitation in doing this all again and hope to stay in touch and continue to support Sharklife and its important work.…

I did a month-long internship at Sharklife, in February 2020.I am a physicist and a diver, so I was both curious to learn about different research strategies, involving being in contact with the sea and its fascinating underwater world.I quickly learned that I barely knew anything about sharks and ocean conservation, and that there is so much that I can do now to make a difference. I had an incredible experience, not only learning about sharks and rays and other sea creatures, but also about everything else Sharklife does: from preparing every research trip (seamanship, weather conditions, research objectives/parameters/equipment), to research methods (which includes free diving training  <3), to conservation activities and even personal well-being development.Plus I got to see WAY more sharks than I ever thought. Raggies are the best! While my experience with Sharklife was purely personal (I can even say it has changed my life, opening new perspectives and lifestyle choices), it also turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to further develop my professional skills (used my programming to help with the research, learning about machine learning on the way). I believe this to be true in any other area, as Sharklife motivates you to go further and find your best contribution to the cause.Not my case, but I also believe Sharklife to be a perfect start for anyone who wants to pursue a career in Marine Biology. Now some personal references:Grant and Candice were lovely, always positively supporting you and your choices. I was amazed by how trustful Grant was towards me, particularly when it seemed that he should be more "expert" than me when carrying out some tasks.Greg was the first Sharklife member I met, as he picked me up from the airport. He was very friendly and always passionate about teaching about different things: from sharks to personal well-being.Myriam and Emma were neck-deep into the research at Sharklife. Myriam was super passionate about her project and always eager to go one step further, while overwhelmed by copious amounts of data. A true scientist.Emma was just getting started with her project, but was already greatly involved with its cause. Very conservation oriented, exploring an underdeveloped topic, I am very curious of where this project will take you and to learn a lot about the rays of the world!There were also additional hands, who helped in our ocean trips, be it being top man or a dive guide. Both Ayonda and Dennis did a fantastic job! I have to say, I had some amazing shark encounters in the company of Dennis. Thank you for that!Finally, there were the other interns. I think we made a great team. Of varied nationalities, different languages, backgrounds and expertises, we spent almost all the time together, be it in the kitchen chatting and cooking meals together (satee nights, chili nights, pasta nights, you name it, we made it), preparing the equipment and boat, or just free diving training in the sea. It was refreshing to be with them! And that's all! I would highly recommend Sharklife to anyone who can relate with my experience - wishing to learn more about sharks, whilst making a difference not only in your life.Cheers!…

I've just completed the Jan 2020, 2 week internship at Sharklife. As an active member of Sharklife, and a real fan of what the brand stands for, it was an honour to be among the most knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate staff who are amazing at Marine conservation and research. A real dream come true for me. Meeting Grant was a real pleasure and I admire the amount of work he and Candice put in to make the internship, a memorable one. The experience is is made better by the superb lecturers, Greg, Miriam and Emma, one can feel the passion and dedication that they have when it comes to preserving life in the seas. The intern experience is humbling and I'm definitely able to use my Shark knowledge to have factual discussions about the importance of conservation. The freedive experience, as a first timer was an unbelievable one. I was able to get down to a few meters, under the watchful eye of the experienced instructor, Greg, with Grant offering advice from his vantage point on the boat. Ayanda was also very helpful on the boat. The surf launch, also a first time experience for me, was exhilarating, and hats off to the skipper, Grant for his amazing ability behind the wheel. Whichever internship you choose to do with Sharklife, you most definitely will not be disappointed. Rest assured you'll be in good hands. Thank you all at Sharklife. Hope to see you soon again.…

What an amazing program , great two weeks with great learning path connected with a lots of hours in the ocean. - you got to be in it to win it ?❤️shark lover!…

I had the most amazing time interning with Sharklife. It was so good i stayed for 10 weeks and am heading back in September. There's a great balance between academic learning and time in the ocean. I learnt so much about sharks as well as other marine issues and animals and had plenty of opportunities to improve my freediving skills which I'm going to continue to work on when I get back, as well as loads more to learn. I would recommend this to any one interested in the marine environment. Sodwana is a beautiful place to live and explore, Sharklife has incredible learning resources and Grant and Candice were so much fun to work with and learn from. Thank you for the great experience guys…

Very dedicated team, learned so much ? Awesome internship ? Keep up the great work guys ?…

Had 2 great weeks at Sharklife. A really passionate group of people who do so much with little resources. Would highly recommend the internship to any ocean enthusiast! Learned so much about sharks and the ocean in general. The shark museum and brand new intern camp are an awesome learning environment. But most amazing of all is the time you get to spend in the water with the sharks. They really know where to find them and you get the opportunity to see some special shark species that you would never get to see without expert knowledge. Really hope that more and more people start supporting Sharklife to allow them to make a change!…

Amazing people to be surrounded by learning how to free dive in absolutely beautiful water with the chance to see breathtaking wildlife. The passion that the staff exude is so contagious, I didn't want to leave!…

One of the best experiences of my life! They are amazing people with such a passion for sharks. Free diving in such beautiful water and being able to see some amazing wildlife along with in depth learning of sharks was perfect. I would love to go back and stay for longer.…

The Sharklife internship experience was like no other! I learnt so much about sharks and shark conservation, my head was just filled with exciting new information for the two weeks. Not only did I learn a lot of valuable skills and information, the staff at Sharklife have inspired me to become a shark ambassador wherever I go, and have given me the confidence to do so! The Sharklife team makes it easy to feel comfortable and settle right into the life as a Sharklife intern and the intern camp felt like a home throughout the two weeks. I had never been freediving before, and was unsure how comfortable I would be in the water, but now, after freediving comfortably in such a beautiful place like Sodwana Bay, all I want to do is take more freediving courses and increase my level. I would recommend the Sharklife internship to everyone! I can’t wait until I can go back!!!…

Those 2 weeks were perfect and so much educated (the most times with a fun way, so we didn't get bored). We learned so many stuff. Sure i recommend it for everyone to go. To see by yourself how conservation works in the field. And don't believe any legend or myth until you go there and freedive with sharks. Sure i will come again. I hope in the near future.…