VOLUNTEER

The volunteers of the Marineland Right Whale Project are part of a broader shore-based Volunteer Sighting Network in Florida. This network exemplifies valuable and cost-effective citizen involvement in environmental conservation and recovery efforts. In Florida, we are fortunate to welcome mother and calf pairs from December through March as they use our shores for wintering and calving. Our survey range spans approximately 70 nautical miles of coastline from Ponte Vedra Beach to Ponce Inlet. Join us and help ensure the whales’ safety while they're here! 

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

volunteer based on your lifestyle

mobile survey team

If you can volunteer at least one morning per week and like being outdoors, we have mobile survey teams that search from designated lookout points.
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stationary team

If you live in an oceanside condo or community, you can team up with fellow residents for stationary surveys. If your community doesn't already have a stationary survey team, you may be able to form one.​

casual observer

Can't commit to a specific day or time? You can still make a difference! Learn about the characteristics of a Right Whale, keep your eyes on the ocean, and call the hotline
​(1-888-97-WHALE) if you see one!

Marineland Right Whale Project
Survey Area

volunteer NOW!

WE Are aLWAYS in NEED of SEASONAL VOLUNTEERS!

​Survey season is January through early March.

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

Value of Volunteer Networks

There are many examples of volunteer networks that provide valuable information for the science and management of environmental resources. These include Audubon bird counts, Monarch butterfly migration studies, the Chesapeake Bay Water Quality network, and the Florida manatee watchers. Groups like "Riverkeepers" and "Baywatchers" have also become well-known and have grown in number across the country. The rise of citizen science has proven to be a valuable method of data collection, playing a critical role in gathering long-term data on wildlife and habitats. With ongoing improvements, the shore-based right whale sighting network is another example of valuable and cost-effective citizen involvement in environmental conservation and recovery efforts.​

volunteer contributions

• Search for and sight Right Whales
• Assist with data recording and photography
• Document potential human impacts
• Help inform and educate the public
• ​Provide stewardship for whales & their habitats
• Serve as the eyes, ears and voice for Right Whales in coastal waters of Florida

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION