Tenerife Conservation Programme

Would you like to learn about and get involved in whale and dolphin protection in the Canary Islands?

We provide a conservation volunteer programme in Tenerife, ranging between 2 weeks and 8 weeks, where you can be part of a unique movement and mission to make whale observation trips noise and emission free. You’ll learn more about whale and dolphin species, help to create awareness about the challenges they face, and get hands-on experience working with the WeWhale team.

Highlights

  • Experience whales and dolphins in their natural habitat off the west coast of Tenerife (declared a Whale Heritage site in 2021). Study the resident species such as Short-finned pilot whales and Bottlenose dolphins.
  • Learn about whale and dolphin bioacoustics from our Head of Conservation, Mercedes Reyes, one of the most renowned marine mammal biologists of the Canary Islands.
  • Be part of a unique movement and mission to make whale observation trips noise and emission free
  • Get insights and learnings, and be part of cetacean conservation and protection work
  • Immerse yourself in Spanish culture and the beautiful island of Tenerife

What will you be doing on the programme?

Below are a few typical parts to the conservation volunteer programme but things can and will vary!

  • Being part of our on-site crew (captain and biologist) to support them in their day-to-day operations
  • Searching for whales and dolphins
  • Taking pictures, videos and hydrophone recordings of cetaceans during our experiences
  • Working from the office (apartment) with a computer to filter and analyse all data collected at sea. Main tasks include: photo ID; filtering and organising data collected; filtering and classification of visual and acoustic material collected. It is important that you bring a laptop with you.
  • Educating guests on board about what we do at WeWhale and why whales and dolphins are so important to the planet
  • Creating social media content
  • Taking part in local ocean conservation events such as school workshops or local roundtables
  • Taking part in outreach – raising awareness of good whale watching practices to boaters and to members of the public

Notice: Our Tenerife Conservation Programme is currently full, and we are not accepting volunteers for the 2025 season.

To learn more about the actions we carry out and the results of our conservation campaigns and programmes, follow us on our social media channels at WeWhale.