For those who don’t know, the southern suburbs of Cape Town (I’m talking the real southern suburbs – the southern peninsula) has a celebrity activist of sorts living amongst its quiet streets. Nan Rice lives in Fish Hoek and has been a focused and dedicated activist for the oceans for many years now.
Rice plays a major role in the Dolphin Action and Protection Group (DAPG), which is a non-governmental organisation. The group was founded in 1977 and campaigns for the conservation and protection of dolphins and whales (cetaceans).
DAPG has run many national educational and fundraising campaigns and over the years its roles and activities have broadened. Every year the group distributes thousands of educational pamphlets through libraries and schools, and also to merchant vessels and fisherman, to prevent the dumping of plastics at sea.
The group also campaigns against high-seas pelagic drift-netting. Cetaceans which get caught in the drift-nets are killed. DAPG successfully phased out this fishing technique in the southern Indian and Atlantic oceans. It has also collaborated with Marine and Coastal Management to form the South African Whale Disentanglement Unit (SAWDN).
The SAWDN was founded in 2005 because every year more and more whales visit our shorelines and the risk of these magnificent creatures being caught in fishing gear, such as rock lobster buoys, grows annually.
The DAPG is passionate about all sea life; their motto and policy is that “Dolphins should be free”. Their campaigns include:
- Save the Whales
- Save Antarctica
- Dolphins Should be Free
- Save our Sea Life
Their unconditional concern and care for cetaceans was demonstrated in May 2009. After reports of a mass-stranding at Kommetjie beach came in, DAPG immediately jumped into action. The group called up its trained volunteers to go assist the pilot whales standed on the sand. Nan Rice said, “…mass strandings are extremely stressful for whales and to save stranding whales is an extremely difficult task”.
Sadly, the stranded whales were unable to be saved as they kept returning to the shore after being pushed out to sea. As one of those in the breakwater, trying to push the heavy weight of just one whale back into the ocean I can vouch for the hard work that the DAPG must deal with on a daily basis. They are a selfless and determined group looking out for the best interests of animals that most southern Africans take for granted.
If you want to find out more information about the DAPG call them on 021 782 5845 or send them an email at info@dapg.co.za
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
