Exploration • Conservation • Education
Meet our team of marine eco-guides and discover the wonders of the Indian Ocean. Through hands-on workshops and immersive experiences, the Marine Discovery Centre raises awareness about marine conservation among guests, schools and the local community.
An Attitude Foundation initiative, running since 2010.
What to do Marine Discovery Centre?
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Talk to an eco-guide
Ask our eco-guides, trained biologists, all your questions
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Kayak through the mangroves
Paddle quietly through the mangroves on a guided excursion.
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Help keep the beach clean
Pick up a net bag at the centre and collect whatever you find - on the sand or under the water.
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Try your hand at upcycling
Turn recovered materials into something worth keeping.
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Dive into virtual reality
Put on the headset and swim alongside sea turtles, humpback whales and dolphins.
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Hop on a glass-bottom boat
Drift above the lagoon's marine life, with a marine biologist on hand to bring it all to life.
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Watch plankton under a microscope
Get up close to what humpback whales actually eat. Spoiler: it's tiny.
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Contribute to our research
Photograph whales and sea turtles and feed your observations directly into our scientific database.
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Explore our saltwater aquarium
Discover local marine biodiversity, with relaxing background sounds to go with it.
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EKOL'O
Mauritius's first floating educational centre
The Marine Discovery Centre, taken out to sea. On board this converted catamaran, learn, observe and explore the lagoon in full immersion - guided by our PADI-certified eco-guides.
4 educational workshops on board:
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Plankton
Collect and identify plankton and understand its role in the marine ecosystem.
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Sea turtles
Learn to recognise them, discover their anatomy - and if you're lucky, spot one in the water.
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Humpback whales
Quizzes, sound recognition and photo-ID of these giants of the Indian Ocean.
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Coral & fish
Take part in a biodiversity survey along the snorkelling trail.
Meet the team
Raisha
Meet Raisha! A passionate science communicator and marine biologist who recognizes the importance of awareness and education in ensuring a sustainable future for the marine environment. With experience in both Mauritius and the Seychelles, she brings a strong expertise in marine conservation!
Our projects
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We study humpback whales
Did you know that we deploy a hydrophone to record the songs of humpback whales? We also have a photo ID programme, where guests can help us identify these whales and observe their behaviour and migratory patterns.
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We study sea turtles
Our team is trained in collecting samples from hawksbill turtles to learn about their life cycle. We also have a photo ID system to build a database of the sea turtle populations in Mauritius and encourage guests to help!
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Partnerships
To address the environmental challenges we are facing, we promote both local and regional collaborations. We signed 5 partnership agreements to study and help preserve humpback whales, sea turtles, and blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves and seagrasses).
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Globice
Created in 2001, Globice is an NGO dedicated to research on and conservation of cetaceans in Reunion Island and the Indian Ocean.
COMBAVA project: In 2021, for the first time in Mauritius, we deployed a hydrophone to record the songs of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), with the objective to improve the knowledge this species in our region and strengthen the skills of local stakeholders. -
CEDTM and Kélonia
CEDTM (Centre d’Etude et de Découverte des Tortues Marines) is an NGO in Reunion Island working on research programmes on sea turtles and their habitats.
Kélonia is an observatory, a museum, and a centre for research, intervention and care dedicated to sea turtles in Reunion Island.
TImOI project: In 2021, our team was trained by CEDTM and Kélonia in how to collect samples on hawksbill turtles for genetic and isotopic analysis. The aim is to learn more about their life cycle and contribute to their protection.
TORSOOI: A photo identification software used to build a database of the sea turtle populations in Mauritius with the objective of enhancing local knowledge and capacity building. -
Wildlife Conservation Society
WCS is a New York based NGO. Its goal is to conserve the world's largest wild places in 14 priority regions, the Western Indian Ocean region being one of them.
QWIO project: a scientific assessment of underwater noise from shipping and maritime services and its effects on large cetaceans, sharks, and sea turtles in the Western Indian Ocean. The aim is to raise awareness about how we locally can help reduce this noise and protect humpback whales and other species around Mauritius. -
Odysseo Oceanarium
The first oceanarium in Mauritius, a hub for learning and exchanging on the ocean.
Project: raise awareness of the role and importance of blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses). The aim is to improve the marine biodiversity of blue carbon ecosystems in Mauritius.
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Created in 2001, Globice is an NGO dedicated to research on and conservation of cetaceans in Reunion Island and the Indian Ocean.
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CEDTM (Centre d’Etude et de Découverte des Tortues Marines) is an NGO in Reunion Island working on research programmes on sea turtles and their habitats.
Kélonia is an observatory, a museum, and a centre for research, intervention and care dedicated to sea turtles in Reunion Island.
WCS is a New York based NGO. Its goal is to conserve the world's largest wild places in 14 priority regions, the Western Indian Ocean region being one of them.
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The first oceanarium in Mauritius, a hub for learning and exchanging on the ocean.
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Bienvenue
à destination(s)
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Who we are
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The team
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Media
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FAQ
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Shall we discuss?
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Where are we?
Our hotels in Mauritius
Zanzibar
