WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, March 4, 2024 — Global Humane, the international brand of American Humane, the United States’ first national humane organization, and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare practices, announced today that Raggy Charters Marine-Eco Cruises in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, has earned the Global Humane Tourism™ certification for its humane responsibility toward the animal life it may encounter or have the potential to impact during its whale, dolphin, and penguin-watching cruises.
“We are thrilled that Raggy Charters Marine-Eco Cruises has met the standards for the Global Humane Tourism certification,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of Global Humane. “Their sea cruises provide a rare experience to see whales, dolphins, and penguins in the wild, creating an emotional connection and love of nature. Our certification recognizes the organizations that make animal welfare a priority.”
Rigorous Certification Standards:
To attain the Global Humane Certified™ designation for Humane Tourism, Raggy Charters Marine-Eco Cruises passed a rigorous independent assessment that reviewed the well-being of animals in connection with their tours. The unique process is guided by the latest science and is informed by respected veterinarians and experts in the fields of animal welfare, animal science, wildlife tourism, and ethics who have decades of experience in protecting animals.
The independent validation process—which goes above and beyond to help protect animals—provides tourists with confidence that the company is meeting a high benchmark of care in their wildlife tour operations. The process includes the submission of a pre-audit application followed by an onsite audit that assesses its humane responsibility toward wildlife. Factors considered during the audit include, but are not limited to, staff training and qualifications, guest-to-guide ratios, safe distance guidelines, and mitigation of impacts to wildlife during tours.
“Our team at Raggy Charters is incredibly proud to have received the 3rd ‘Humane Tourism Certification’ to be awarded by Global Humane in South Africa. With 26 years of running Marine-Eco cruises in Algoa Bay, Raggy Charters has never lost sight of its core focus: conservation through education,” said Jake Keeton, Raggy Charters Operations Manager, Skipper, and Guide. “With guest education and satisfaction still being important to us, our real goal is to have a positive impact on the environment in which we operate. In our minds, a successful tour is one after which our guests leave with a greater understanding and appreciation for the marine environment, which may encourage them to do their own part in conservation. In addition to abiding by the regulations stipulated in our operating permits, we utilize the knowledge we have built up from monitoring animal behavior in the marine environment to put our own measures in place to reduce the impact we have on these species and the environment that we share with them.”
About Global Humane™:
Global Humane™, the international brand of American Humane, which is the United States’ first national humane organization and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare, helps to verify the humane treatment of more than one billion animals across the globe each year. Founded in 1877, American Humane has been First to Serve™ the cause of animals and for 145 years has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in the humane movement. For more information or to support our lifesaving work, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org, follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube for the latest breaking news and features about the animals with whom we share our Earth.
About Global Humane Tourism™:
Global Humane Tourism™ is a unique animal welfare certification program that assesses and certifies wildlife reserves, lodging facilities, and tour operators for their humane responsibility toward the animal life that these operations may encounter and have the potential to impact. A Scientific Advisory Committee comprised of animal welfare experts in this unique space advised Global Humane on the complex dynamics of this industry and how various operations may impact wildlife. This scientific feedback led to the development of comprehensive welfare criteria and rigorous standards that are assessed and verified through independent, on-site audits for any tourism operation seeking Humane Tourism™ certification.
About Raggy Charters:
Raggy Charters is a boat-based Whale and Dolphin Watching permit holder in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The most amazing marine life can be found in Algoa Bay, also known as the Bottlenose Dolphin Capital of the World, an initiative spearheaded by Raggy Charters in 2016. They are believed to be the oldest Marine Eco Tour Company combined with a Conservation Project (Baywatch Project) in Africa, operating since 1992. The company is owner-run and managed, utilizing a volunteer system to assist in their tours and projects. Funds generated from whale watching boat cruises, African penguin boat cruises, and other marine eco-tours with Raggy Charters are directed towards funding the Algoa Baywatch Project.
Raggy Charters conducts regular educational programs and beach clean-ups in the Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) area. They also have an initiative to offset their carbon footprint by planting one indigenous tree for every boat cruise they undertake.
On their tours, participants can expect to see African Penguins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Humpback Dolphins, Bryde’s Whales, Minke Whales, Southern Right Whales, Humpback Whales, Cape Fur Seals, various species of sharks (Great White Shark), Cape Gannets, and various species of Pelagic Birds including Terns, Petrels, Skuas, Shearwaters, and Albatrosses in Algoa Bay. Please visit www.raggycharters.co.za to learn more.
Media Contact: [email protected]
