Donate Shop Call for Help Now Find a Base

NSRI EMERGENCY
OPERATION CENTRE (EOC)

087 094 9774

59

Animals rescued in 2020

209

Whales assisted to date

140

Volunteers specially trained to do whale disentanglements

Our Planet

The greatest long-term threat to our existence is climate change and the lack of care of our environment. The NSRI believes in doing everything possible to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment. We also advocate the conservation of South Africa’s marine areas and support animal rescues.

Why our planet matters

Water crises in the Western, Eastern and Southern Cape, extreme weather conditions and devastating wildfires have all underlined the importance of the environment to sustainability and livelihoods.

What Sea Rescue is doing

We have taken a position with regards to conservation to identify with initiatives to conserve marine animals, whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds, and actively participate in programmes related to protecting these species. We are positively against marine pollution of a solid, biological and chemical nature and lobby local government to improve their systems. We understand the impact that marine pollution has on human health and our activism relates to our values around human life. The ocean cannot continue to absorb the waste it is confronted with and we must make internal and external effort as an organisation to reduce pollution.

We are conscious of energy requirements and its impact on the environment, and we are constantly striving to reduce our environmental footprint through more efficient sources and mechanisms like LED lighting, four-stroke outboard motors, building insulation and reduced travel.

Help us to protect our planet.

Why it works

The results of our energy-efficient and water-saving strategies have led to a reduction in our overall carbon footprint. Our facilities and assets reflect a culture of safety and concern for the environment. We strive to create awareness around the preservation of natural resources, including marine wildlife, and will always respond to marine animals in distress. Around 140 Sea Rescue volunteers, operating from 18 stations, have been trained to perform whale disentanglements.

Banner2

How you can help

Members of the public play an important role in alerting rescue services when they encounter animals in distress. If possible, stay with the animal until help arrives. But don’t attempt a rescue yourself as this may be dangerous. We have specialised teams of volunteers who know what to do
Reduce, reuse and recycle and encourage family, friends and colleagues to do the same
Organise beach clean-ups with your school, club or a group of friends. Coastal birds are particularly vulnerable to small bits of plastic and pieces of rope or netting that wash ashore
Live consciously with the planet’s future in mind

READ MORE ABOUT ANIMAL RESCUE

Swordfish
ANIMAL RESCUE  | Published: 1 November 2023

Swordfish beaches itself in Gordon's Bay

At 18h38, Tuesday, 30 October, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were requested by CoCT MASN (City of Cape Town Marine Animal Stranding Network) to assist at Gordons Bay Beach where a Sword Fish had beached.

Nsri animal rescue 1440x500
ANIMAL RESCUE  | Published: 27 October 2023

Every life matters

Three recent animal rescues were cause for celebration... The NSRI is always available to help our aquatic friends to safety.

Whale gqeberha 21sept
ANIMAL RESCUE  | Published: 22 September 2023

Juvenile whale assisted in a disentanglement operation

At 11h12, Thursday, 21 September, NSRI Gqeberha Station 6, including 3 NSRI Gqeberha crew trained in SA Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) whale disentanglement techniques and methods, launched 2 NSRI rescue craft from the NSRI rescue station at the Port of Gqeberha, Rescue 6 Alpha and Rescue 6 Bravo, following eye-witness reports of a whale entangled in fishing rope lines.

Nsri sunfish rescued thumb 824x572
ANIMAL RESCUE  | Published: 28 March 2023

WATCH: Ocean friend helped back to sea

Big Bay rescue teams pulled together to release a stranded sunfish back into the blue.

FECC679 E D0 D0 4693 BDBC 9 CA9 C1 D075 AF
ANIMAL RESCUE  | Published: 15 September 2022

Seal assisted - Hermanus

On Saturday, 10 September, NSRI Hermanus, while conducting routine maintenance at our NSRI Hermanus rescue station were alerted by public members of a seal, witnessed in amongst the Dolosse, in and around the new harbour, with a rope entangled around the seals neck.

Dolphin Rescue Banner
ANIMAL RESCUE  | Published: 30 August 2022

Beached dolphins rescued

It was with great delight that crews from NSRI Stations 2 (Bakoven) and 8 (Hout Bay) were able to assist the Marine Animal Stranding Network and SPCA to refloat two bottlenose dolphins that had beached on Sandy Bay on Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard.