Study aims to assess marine life off Namibian coast

A major study aimed at assessing the numbers and movements of dolphins off the coast of Africa is transferring to a different area.

People who have been lucky enough to experience a luxury holiday in Namibia in the past may have seen some of the beautiful creatures when roaming the coastline.

According to the Namibian Dolphin Project - which has been ongoing since 2008 - the country's waters now contain fewer than 100 Bottlenose dolphins, although experts are unsure whether the low figure is because of declining population numbers or because the animals have moved away, AllAfrica.com reports.

Up until now the study has focused on Bottlenose and Heaviside dolphins, but the project is set to be spread to the coast of Lüderitz, which may see more variations of the species analysed.

Namibia is perhaps more famous for the wildlife that roams the land rather than the sea and tourism chiefs in the country believe the ruggedness of the nation's landscape makes it an ideal place for people heading on luxury safari trips.