Conservation – All Out Africa https://alloutafrica.com Adventures that change lives Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:21:07 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://alloutafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/cropped-Favicon-32x32.png Conservation – All Out Africa https://alloutafrica.com 32 32 Marine Conservation Mozambique Q1 2026 https://alloutafrica.com/2026/04/marine-conservation-mozambique-q1-2026/ https://alloutafrica.com/2026/04/marine-conservation-mozambique-q1-2026/#respond Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:21:06 +0000 https://alloutafrica.com/?p=22871

Marine Conservation Mozambique Q1 2026 marks a dynamic and impactful period for All Out Africa’s Marine Research and Conservation Center. In January, we said goodbye to Jule Buschmann, who has been managing the Marine Research and Conservation Center for the last two years. She will be greatly missed for her valuable contributions, and spent her last month at the MRC training her successor, Therese Lauridsen, who will be managing the center going forward.

We have hosted three volunteers in January, eight in February, and five in March, completing more than 60 research dives! On these dives, 13 Leopard sharks have been identified using AI spot mapping. Two Leopard sharks had not previously been documented, so these were submitted as new individuals for the shared global dataset ‘Sharkbook’. The volunteers named the first one ‘Professor’ and the second one ‘Power’. We also managed to submit a research paper on Leopard sharks “Leopard Sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) in Southern Mozambique: Population Structure, Spatial Ecology and First Observations of Courtship behaviour” led by AoA and supported by MMF.

This quarter presented great challenges for the community of the Inhambane province. With floods in both January and March, and the cyclone Gezani in February, the research center was challenged on completing the research dives and the regular activities. It was, however, during the 6-day power outage following the cyclone the new Leopard shark ‘Power’ was discovered - hence the name. The volunteers however made these challenges into opportunities, as they offered their support in cleaning up debris and rebuilding, which many from the community expressed moved them.

In March, the Whale sharks finally returned to Tofo, after having been absent since September 2025. The volunteers are very excited, and we are taking every chance we get to swim with these magnificent creatures. Four times we have been able to ID them, one of them has not been documented in the datasets before, so the volunteers are lucky enough to name this one too. The timing could not have been better, as we currently are hosting a three month intern from the Netherlands, coming to study the Whale sharks. She however changed her research topic from Photo-ID and AI spotmapping, to trying to explain this long absence of Whale shark from September 2025 to March 2026. This fits well with another research paper submitted for publication this quarter, where the data sets of Whale shark sightings have been analysed, and suggests a new possibility of a seasonal redistribution and movement patterns of the Whale sharks, which used to be present in Tofo all year.

Overall, the volunteers have shown great spirits through challenging times, and very genuine care for the community and the locals of the area, while still completing their research dives and contributing to the large datasets aimed at marine conservation in Mozambique.
The research center has submitted three different research papers. Follow along on our Instagram, where we will post when they are published

Feeling inspired? Contact us at bookings@alloutafrica.com to learn more about our Mozambique volunteering and internship programs.

]]> https://alloutafrica.com/2026/04/marine-conservation-mozambique-q1-2026/feed/ 0 We’re Proud to Share Some Big News from Tofo Beach! https://alloutafrica.com/2025/09/marine-conservation-volunteer-mozambique-november-2025/ https://alloutafrica.com/2025/09/marine-conservation-volunteer-mozambique-november-2025/#respond Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:33:14 +0000 https://alloutafrica.com/?p=21670

We’re delighted to announce that a story about an exciting scientific paper - authored by our very own Marine Conservation Project Coordinator, Jule Buschmann - will soon be featured in Shark News, the newsletter of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group! Look out for the article in issue 12 due to be published very soon.

The paper, published late last year in Frontiers in Marine Science, highlights the ground-breaking work being done by our Marine Research Programme in Tofo Beach.

So what’s the research all about?

Over a period of three years, Jule and the team used long-life remote underwater video cameras (LL-RUVs) to observe visitors to the reef - without any disturbance by divers. These cameras were placed at reef “cleaning stations,” where species like manta rays gather to get spruced up by small fish. The result? Over 500 hours of footage revealing 14 different shark and ray species, including reef mantas, oceanic mantas, and even the elusive smalleye stingray.

The footage captured not only who’s visiting these reef spas, but also some interesting and rarely witnessed behaviours and interactions between species.   It’s all part of a bigger picture that helps scientists better understand how to protect these incredible (and often endangered) creatures.

Why it matters

The study showcases a low-impact, high-reward method for monitoring marine wildlife, crucial in places like southern Mozambique, a global biodiversity hotspot. By seeing how these animals use local reef, researchers can develop better conservation strategies and ensure cleaning stations are protected for the long haul.

We’re incredibly proud of Jule and the team for this contribution to global marine science, and can’t wait for the upcoming feature in Shark News. Stay tuned to this page for when it goes live in issue 12!

Want to get involved?

You can be part of this pioneering research through our Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation Volunteer Programme in Mozambique! Work alongside scientists, assist with underwater camera deployments, help ID species from video footage, and contribute directly to cutting-edge conservation.

Whether you're a budding marine biologist or just passionate about ocean life, this is your chance to make a difference and have the adventure of a lifetime.

Learn more & apply now– limited spaces available! SPECIAL OFFER FOR NOVEMBER 2025 START!

To celebrate this publication we are offering a very special discount for volunteers wishing to join us in November 2025:  Book a four week placement for the price of three weeks – Yes, that’s right, one whole week free.

Email bookings@alloutafrica.com quoting “Shark News” to claim this amazing offer.

*Direct bookings only

Be sure to follow on Instagram or Facebook to see latest news, photos and videos from the project in Tofo Beach

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