Hermanus set to become new home for revamped 'cutting-edge' South African Whale Centre (SAWC)

Pippa Hudson speaks to Doctor Els Vermeulen about plans to build a state-of-the-art Whale Centre in the heart of Hermanus.

Listen below.

Since its inception in 1985, the South African Whale Centre (SAWC) office has been off-campus at the Iziko South African Museum. The research institute has been in Hermanus only since 2018, and now it's getting a revamp.

The Old Harbour Museum's board of trustees, in partnership with a dedicated project-development team and the UP MRI Whale Unit, recently announced plans to redevelop the Whale House Museum into a cutting-edge South African Whale Centre (SAWC) and a state-of-the-art global beacon for marine conservation and education.

The town will house the Whale Unit of the University of Pretoria’s (UP’s) Mammal Research Institute (MRI).

The centre will also feature groundbreaking technology, including a 3D immersive dome experience, interactive exhibits and augmented reality displays that vividly illustrate whale behaviour and migration. 

“In addition to its educational offerings, the centre will function as a hub for international whale and dolphin research. Its partnership with the UP MRI Whale Unit will ensure that the SAWC remains at the forefront of scientific advancements, maximising its educational outreach with the latest research findings," reads a statement from the South African Whale Centre.

The research centre 'allows research for whale conservation to enable engagement with the community, allows public outreach and education because conservation can only be achieved when you approach communities and people with the right information,' believes Vermeulen.

So far, the institute has provided 40 years of whale research and used long-term data to link back to altered whale ecosystems due to climate change, which affects whales' gestational periods.

Visitors will have the opportunity to engage in virtual whale encounters and explore the fascinating world of whale song.

"We want to create an experience of whales and the whale environment, looking at the ability to experience the size of whales, the song of whales without necessarily having the opportunity to go out on a boat... we want to give you an experience of what the world of whales is like," says Vermeulen.

The revamp date has no start date yet, but the project is in its fundraising phase.

If you are - or know - of a corporate institute whose values match everything said, contact the research centre here.

"I'm very excited that we can start sharing our research to a wide part of the community and work together to create a love for whales."

- Doctor Els Vermeulen, South African Whale Centre (SAWC)