From the SCS page: “The board of the Society is delighted to announce that Wilfred Chivell has accepted Honorary Life Membership (HLM) of SCS. Wilfred is a committed “action type” conservationist who founded the Dyer Island Conservation Trust. He is also the owner of Marine Dynamics (a Gansbaai shark ecotourism operator) and a well known figure in marine wildlife circles in South Africa’s Western Cape. Within SCS there has always been the belief that in general life, and in conservation, there are the ‘doers’ and the ‘talkers’ – Wilfred is very much a doer!”

Wilfred founded the Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) in 2006 to focus on the conservation and protection of the greater Dyer Island region.  This includes one of the largest aggregations of white sharks in the world, one of the last African penguin breeding colonies, as well as the various whales/dolphins in the area.  Through Wilfred’s vision, the DICT has contributed only to research programs that directly benefit the conservation and understanding of the animals they concern.  This philosophy is mirrored in the two eco-tourism companies Wilfred operates, Dyer Island Cruises whale tours and Marine Dynamics shark tours, as each company continually improves upon the ethical standards of both whale watching and shark cage diving.  

Congratulations Wilfred!