SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty

How much do you ACTUALLY know about Sea Turtles?

These cold-blooded creatures have an incredibly long life span. The oldest ever recorded, named Tu”i Malila, of Tonga Island, passed away at the grand old age of 188!

Sadly, many species of turtle are endangered! 129 of approximately 300 species of turtle and tortoise on Earth today are either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, according to the IUCN. Threats include loss of habitat, poaching and the illegal pet trade.

This program teaches you the skills and concepts required to recognize and identify common species of sea turtles, describes their history and role in marine ecosystems, and threats to their survival. You will earn the SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty certification after completing this program.

These ecology courses are available online through the online platform or through the MYSSI app.

An online code will be sent to you once you register via New Zealand Diving.

No practical sessions are required to complete the certification.

If you would like to join our charters as an optional extra, please see the wide range of diving experiences we offer to  put your knowledge to the test.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The ocean is filled with fascinating and beautiful fish of every shape and size. This non-diving specialty program teaches you the skills and concepts required to identify the common families of Caribbean, Indo-Pacific, and Red Sea reef fish. You will earn this SSI Specialty certification after completing this program.

Minimum Age: 10
Certification Prerequisites: No diving experience required
Academic Sessions: 1
Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours

THE DIVER DIAMOND METHODOLOGY

Each of our Specialty Programs is based on our  diver diamond methodology

Diver Diamond is the cornerstone of the educational system. It emphasizes the critical components of a great scuba education program: Proper knowledge, Proper Skills, Proper Equipment, and Proper Experience. The diver diamond is the foundation for the Ultimate Dive Experience.

At SSI, they don’t want you to just learn to dive; they want you to become a diver. Their goal is to make every step of your scuba experience all about your comfort and confidence in the water. SSI professionals work together to make learning come alive with personalized instructions that will put your skills to use in reality-based training scenarios. This unique approach is known as “Comfort through repetition”. By practicing each skill learned throughout each level of training your actions will become conditioned responses – second nature!

Repetition ensures you retain what you have already learned while continuing to learn more. As a result, diving becomes more fun.

Check with New Zealand Diving about the gear you’ll will be using during this course. You can find everything at our diving shop or our online shop.