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Dolphins Field Course

Dolphins Field Course Description

A minimum number of 4 participants is required

LOCATION KalkaraMarina- Take Off, University of Malta – Maltese cliffs 
N. of PARTICIPANT        Min 4 max 8
INCLUDED
 

Boat-based surveys, land-based surveys, in class lectures.

Bus card, Maltese nibbles, light lunches, soft drinks water during boat  surveys

 

NOT INCLUDED
Transport from and to the airport
Accommodation
COST
700 euro

Book now

Our mission is to merge education, public awareness and scientific research, throughout capacity building and ecotourism to achieve conservation of the marine biodiversity and environment.

The Dolphins of Malta Research Project (DMRP) is a long-term monitoring program for research and conservation of the Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), which requires a lot of effort, resources and technologies.

This course will allow you to participate in field activities and learn about research in marine mammal science. At the same time, your contribution will be crucial to support the project directly. 

EcoMarine Dolphin Field Course is a one-week program that introduces the participants to our Dolphins of Malta Research Project (DMRP) and the rich Maltese environment.  This is a perfect way to begin, whether you are interested in pursuing a marine mammal science career or simply want to spend a pleasant and gratifying time learning about marine wildlife in a beautiful environment.

Unlike other similar courses, we want you to enjoy your staying in Malta, for this reason we arranged our program in a way that will let you have plenty of time to spend for your favorite activities!

Combine business with pleasure!

The course includes boat and land-based research, as well as seminars, lectures, video presentations and other related activities, surveying a wide range of knowledge on dolphins and whales and their conservation.

Official language 

The official language for this program is English, so we recommend a good spoken and written level.

What will you get from this experience?

  • Experience in on-field research and data collection
  • Basic knowledge of research techniques and equipment
  • A deep understanding of the ecology of marine mammals in the Mediterranean
  • An insight into the importance of education, public awareness and the role of ecotourism to promote positive change and to create new job opportunities in the conservation field. 
  • Learning to work as part of a team and in a multicultural environment

A good physical condition is required to safely run fieldwork both on land and on the boat, together with a high tolerance to hot weather.
A personal binocular is mandatory to carry out the observation, while a laptop and photo camera is recommended but not strictly necessary.

    Do you need more infos? fill up the form below or call +356-77135839

    Reviews

    EcoMarine Malta
    5.0
    Based on 29 reviews
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    Thaís Amaral
    Thaís Amaral
    2021-08-06T08:55:37+0000
    EcoMarine is doing more for the environment in Malta than most politicians! Friendly, professional and trained staff.... Everything they do is ethical and matches with the message they are passing on: marine conservation! Couldn't recommend it enough, thank you EcoMarine Malta!!!read more
    Marion Saliba
    Marion Saliba
    2021-07-15T21:57:36+0000
    Yesterday's Ecomarine - Marine Life Spotting tour was an exceptional experience - beautiful day, calm sea, small group... of patrons, educational talk, knowledgeable, friendly and very responsible crew staff and Captain, a Maltese lunch and a swim in the beautiful waters at the south of Malta. And the cherry on the cake was the dolphin spotting ( besides birds) - a group of 7 dolphins swimming close to us and giving us the most beautiful show ever in their natural habitat. Another wish off my bucket list. Well done to Patrizia, Francesca and Jeremy the Captain. Highly recommended for all age groups and families. Thanks Eco Marine Malta.read more
    Adriana Finocchiaro
    Adriana Finocchiaro
    2021-07-15T11:38:57+0000
    One of the Best experience of my Life! I truly recommend it. The tour was fantastic, you don't just get the chance to... watch Dolphins in their natural environment, you get the perfect day on a boat! We've spotted 4 beautiful Dolphins swimming and playing around us, we've learnt more about the sealife in Malta and they also brought us in one of the best bay in southern malta to enjoy a delicious lunch and to swim. Staff onboard was exceptional, passionate and friendly!read more
    Joanne Micallef
    Joanne Micallef
    2021-07-14T18:42:47+0000
    Honestly, a memorable experience for the whole family. Marine life spotting tour was fantastic and very educational. We... spotted several dolphins and hosts were very friendly and professional. Highly recommended *****read more
    KT Delicata
    KT Delicata
    2020-10-16T07:28:32+0000
    We went on the marine life spotting tour. It was such a brilliant day. We were lucky in seeing the dolphins for a long... time. It was a beautiful and exciting experience to be able to see these beautiful animals in their home environment. It was also really interesting to learn about the animals living in the Mediterranean and also about how to be respectful to them. Thank you for a wonderful day. Definitely recommend it!!read more
    Martina Knežević
    Martina Knežević
    2020-08-08T22:49:17+0000
    Beautiful sunset tour, we enjoyed every second of it 🤗 highly recommended!
    Kristofer Mogyorossy
    Kristofer Mogyorossy
    2020-08-03T15:57:45+0000
    Best tour of our livee, highly recommended.
    Ksenia Meshalkina
    Ksenia Meshalkina
    2020-08-01T08:39:58+0000
    I've been already in two tours by EcoMarine Malta: Marine life spotting tour on 9th of June and 1 day and half around... Malta on 27-28 of July.🐬🐬🐬Both tours are amazing! we saw dolphins and different beauties of Malta.1 day and half around Malta is my fav tour. We've seen turtle, a lot of dolphins, spent a night in Blue lagoon, swam so far from the island on the depth of 1000 m, passed by Blue Grotto, went around Filfla and had a lot of fun.Thank you guys for doing your job and for all your love and respect to nature and creatures!Wish you good luck and hope to join again one day)P.S.: the only tiny minus for me is stuffy night in cabin. The rest is amazing. Thank you, Patricia and Giovanni!😀read more
    Kate Burgoyne
    Kate Burgoyne
    2020-07-24T19:06:10+0000
    This was just the most fabulous day out with numerous sightings of Dolphins, fun with the camera and a lovely swim in... the quiet bay. Giovanni our skipper gave us full confidence and Patrizia was so enthusiastic and keen eyed (great for spotting the lively dolphin pod). Personally I will join this tour again and will recommend to friends and colleagues.read more
    Debra White
    Debra White
    2020-07-24T13:49:50+0000
    We had a wonderful evening last week with EcoMarine Malta. Friendly, knowledgeable, great company and excellent hosts.... Thank you very much.read more
    Val Spiteri
    Val Spiteri
    2020-07-23T16:15:25+0000
    What a wonderful experience - such an adventure and worth every cent! Thank you for having us and keep up your good... work!read more
    Kirsty Corso
    Kirsty Corso
    2020-07-22T17:36:34+0000
    An awesome experience not to miss, great team, wonderful views and beautiful marine life spotting
    Amelia Be
    Amelia Be
    2020-07-20T14:04:31+0000
    Fantastic tour very well organized with dolphins spotting and lots , tour around Filfla and much more 😍. Highly... recommended !read more
    James Portelli
    James Portelli
    2020-07-12T14:52:57+0000
    A beautiful day out | very well organised by Ecomarine Malta. Thank you Giovanni (the Skipper) and Alexia (Marine... Biologist). Would strongly recommend.read more
    Clare Taylor
    Clare Taylor
    2020-07-08T19:15:26+0000
    We had a fantastic day out seeing dolphins and birds in the south of Malta recently, expertly led by Giovanni and... Alexia. It was great to hear interesting facts and to be able to ask them questions, and to know that your participation allows EcoMarine to continue collecting important data on marine life in a highly responsible way.The boat is clean and comfortable, the Maltese nibbles provided at lunchtime were good, and we enjoyed the swimming stop too. Highly recommended, we can't wait to go to the north with them next time!read more
    Gabriella Dalmas
    Gabriella Dalmas
    2020-06-29T18:26:13+0000
    Enjoyable and educational day out at sea, with good company. Managed to find and watch dolphins for an hour 🐬🐬... Highly recommend.read more
    Natalia Brzozowska
    Natalia Brzozowska
    2020-06-26T07:42:09+0000
    Fantastic sunset tour around Malta! We have taken time to observe dolphins in their natural habitat and watched the... sunset on the south coast of the island. There was also aperitivo served at the end of the trip and Patrizia gave us a little lecture on the sealife of Malta. Great experience and totally recommendable!read more
    Danielle Cuschieri
    Danielle Cuschieri
    2020-06-24T05:23:34+0000
    It was such an amazing day. The skipper was really good at this sailing boat and Patrizia was very informative and... pasionate about the subject and to top it off we saw the dolphins 🐬Definatley recommended!!read more
    Sean Briffa
    Sean Briffa
    2020-06-10T15:10:36+0000
    What a lovely day that was. The boat was excellent and the trip was super enjoyable, especially getting to witness the... crew sailing and not just using a motor.Having a marine biologist guiding us and giving us information was very helpful in understanding the animals we were seeing. Both the marine biologist and the captain of the boat displayed great passion when giving us the information.The dolphin sitings were surprisingly close to the boat and we could see them from all angles as they circled us, chased fish, played with each other and even jumping out of the water (that last part was very exciting)!We enjoyed the break where we were taken to a secluded cove where we could eat, swim and discuss what we just saw and also get some more useful information, all on the brilliant boat. The crew also payed a lot of attention to keeping my 5 year old daughter engaged, bringing out books on marine life.For the price we payed we got more than expected, an experience we'll definitely remember and recommend.read more
    Thea Rees
    Thea Rees
    2020-06-10T12:48:34+0000
    The marine biologist Patrizia was very knowledgable and eager and happy to share her knowledge about not only the... animals we saw but also the wild life in the Mediterranean in general.Both skipper Giovanni and Patrizia are very friendly, accomodating and easy to approach.The tours also serve the purpose of gathering research data on wild life.And: we actually used the sails when possible to minimize use of fuel.Great experience, also for kids! And good for eco-conscious minds.read more
    Sînzi Anne
    Sînzi Anne
    2019-09-29T11:00:08+0000
    Amazing tour & amazing crew who took us in the midsts of the marine life around the Maltese Islands. It was also an... awareness raiser as Alexia took care to share with us precious information on the marine biodiversity, sea sectoring and marine ecology. Thank you & we‘ll meet each other again on a wild and clean sea, on a sunny morning.read more
    Anda Mio
    Anda Mio
    2019-09-17T05:40:54+0000
    Amazing tour, these people are very passionate about their job. We have seen dolphins for more than 2 h, then we took... the bath at the caves, snorkeling, we sailed to the small island and visited the blue grot. We had two meals on the way, tasteful and light food, just perfect for sailing. Cool experience!read more
    Fabian Camilleri
    Fabian Camilleri
    2019-09-16T06:15:15+0000
    Thank you so much for the amazing day on the sea, you have made my daughter the happiest ever. Amazing staff . Well... done and keep up the good work ❤️read more
    Maria Farrugia
    Maria Farrugia
    2019-07-16T16:24:45+0000
    Amazing day... relaxing, informative well organized tour. Thank you to all involved organizers, skipper and on board... guide.read more
    Simone Billings
    Simone Billings
    2019-06-09T14:23:38+0000
    My nephew and I had a terrific day out with Eco Marine Malta on Saturday 8 June, the day before he was leaving Malta to... return home to SFO, on their Filfla excursion. We loved having a marine biologist on board to explain the different species of dolphins we might see and the ways to identify each, and we did see dolphins as well as birds, and one person spotted a sea turtle. The view of beautiful Malta from the sea was especially interesting since we could see places that we'd been to on land during our earlier exploring of different villages (such as Marsaxlokk and Marsaskala) and historical sites such as Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples--but from a different perspective. Being able to see Filfla up close and to hear about it from the knowledgeable crew and biologist was great! And the 2 swimming stops were much enjoyed by several of us on the warm June day. Thank you, Eco Marine Malta! And thank you to the crew for the yummy treats after each swim and the plentiful cold water! Both an informative and relaxing day--perfect for bringing attention to the need to protect our neighbors in and around the sea, too.read more
    IreneMaria Zorzi
    IreneMaria Zorzi
    2019-03-18T13:21:58+0000
    fantastica idea , complimenti
    Mariangela Meli
    Mariangela Meli
    2019-03-12T07:01:37+0000
    A great learning opportunity for children. Although not an easy subject to tackle with young children, Luca was engaged... throughout. He is now looking forward to the next experience with you. Thank you so much!read more
    Anthony Zammit
    Anthony Zammit
    2018-07-12T18:31:34+0000
    very good
    Viviana Premazzi
    Viviana Premazzi
    2018-06-11T18:46:33+0000
    amazing trip, amazing guide and skipper and great (but small) group of people on board. We saw dolphins and birds. And... the tour around Fifla was breathtaking. And everything sustainable and eco-friendly, helping you to discover more and be aware of life around the beautiful Maltese islands. Highly recommended!read more
    Mariarosa Brugaletta
    Mariarosa Brugaletta
    2018-05-03T10:44:06+0000
    Next Reviews

    THE COURSE

    2023

    1/05/2023 – 5/05/2023 

    19/06/2023 – 23/06/2023

    Price 700 euro Book Now 

    Timetable

    Monday afternoon 3 hours lectures

    Tuesday all day boat-based survey

    Wednesday 2 hours land- based survey and 2 hours lectures

    Thursday all day boat-based survey

    Friday 2 hours land based survey.

    The schedule is flexible depending on the weather conditions. The boat-based surveys will be held with the better sea and weather conditions possible. In case of adverse weather conditions the land based surveys will be preferred. 

    Prerequisites

    Although no previous experience in research is required, we encourage:

    • A true interest in the program and in the marine world
    • The willingness to learn and contribute to the research

    The official language for this program is English, so we recommend a good spoken and written level. Furthermore, a good physical condition is required to safely run fieldwork both on land and on the boat, together with a high tolerance to hot weather.

    A personal binocular is mandatory to carry out the observation, while a laptop and photo camera is highly recommended but not strictly necessary.

    The course includes boat and land-based research, as well as seminars, lectures, video presentations and other related activities, surveying a wide range of knowledge on dolphins and whales and their conservation.

    Research activities
    Surveys are conducted from a boat and from observation stations on land. During the EcoMarine Dolphin Field Courses, we collect data about  bottlenose dolphins the environmental conditions and the presence of other animals, such as birds and turtles. Such data will be shared with local NGOs and governmental bodies such as the Environmental Resources Authority for the safeguard of the local biodiversity.
    Boat surveys are carried out on a 45 ft sailing boat, while land-based surveys are conducted from established points on the island of Malta.
    You will therefore actively take part in the research activities in spotting, observing, counting and recording data about the animals, with the supervision of an expert EcoMarine researcher.
    Boat surveys will occur during dedicated research days and during EcoMarine Wildlife Spotting Tours so that you will be also involved in our environmental education program and be in charge of spreading awareness on the delicate status of the Mediterranean Sea and its inhabitants.

    According to the programme and the weather conditions, participants can be involved in data entry or in the photo identification process.

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