Project Jonah New Zealand

What Project Jonah New Zealand does

Project Jonah New Zealand is a charitable organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Auckland, dedicated to the rescue, education, and protection of marine mammals — particularly whales and dolphins — across New Zealand. The organization operates through a nationwide network of trained volunteer Marine Mammal Medics who deliver first aid and coordinate rescue operations at strandings, working closely with the Department of Conservation under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978. Project Jonah complements field rescue with school and kindergarten education programs, a Walkthrough Whale Experience, and digital outreach via its website and social channels.

The organization's product portfolio spans an e-commerce merchandise line (organic-cotton apparel, hats, stationery, eco-friendly educational kits and craft activities priced between $5 and $40), free Marine Mammal Medic training courses, and publicly distributed educational resources such as Whale ID Cards and the World of Whales Teaching Kit. Its most technically distinctive offering is the Pilot Pulse AI whale-detection buoy, deployed in Mohua/Golden Bay, which uses computer vision and acoustic processing to identify marine mammals in real time and support early-warning response in a known stranding hotspot. Project Jonah also supports citizen science through rare whale and dolphin sighting reports and maintains research collaborations with Massey University, University of Otago, and University of Auckland.

The business model is donation-driven: primary revenue is from individual donations, gifts in wills, and fundraising, supplemented by merchandise sales, course administrative fees, and a small training revenue stream. The organization employs 9 staff and is governed by a volunteer committee, with no institutional ownership or external investors. Strategic partnerships span government (DOC), local iwi (Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki), transport operators (KiwiRail), academic institutions, and tourism operators (Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari).

Name

Project Jonah New Zealand

Legal name

Project Jonah

Website

https://projectjonah.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Jonah New Zealand is a 1974-founded marine mammal rescue charity operating a nationwide volunteer medic network for whale and dolphin strandings, school education programs, and an AI-powered whale-detection buoy in Golden Bay.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Nonprofit

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Preparedness & Animal Evacuation Services (BPAGAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Marine mammal rescue
• Wildlife conservation
• Volunteer medic training
• Marine education programs
• Nonprofit charity

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream from public donations, gifts in wills, and fundraising activities.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including clothing, stationery, and educational products through the online shop.
3. Marine Mammal Medic Training Courses: Revenue from training courses for volunteers wanting to become certified Marine Mammal Medics. $25 admin charge for cancellations with less than 7 days notice.
4. Educational Products: Sale of educational kits and resources to schools, including World of Whales Teaching Kit (free for teachers, postage only) and Whale ID Cards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Project Jonah is a marine mammal rescue charity that coordinates a nationwide network of trained volunteer Marine Mammal Medics to deliver first aid and rescue services for stranded whales and dolphins across New Zealand. The organization also runs school and kindergarten education programs, trains new medics through certification courses, and funds operations through donations, merchandise sales, and educational product sales. It recently deployed the Pilot Pulse, an AI-powered marine mammal detection buoy in Golden Bay to enable early detection and rapid response to strandings.

Product overview

Project Jonah New Zealand is a marine mammal rescue charity offering a portfolio of merchandise, educational products, training services, and technology solutions for whale and dolphin conservation. The core offerings include the Marine Mammal Medic training program and school education outreach services, complemented by retail merchandise (clothing, stationery, stickers) and educational products (Whale ID Cards, World of Whales Teaching Kit, EUGY 3D Craft). The organization recently launched an innovative AI-powered Pilot Pulse whale-detection buoy technology product. The merchandise and educational products are sold through the organization's e-commerce shop, while training and education services are provided free or at cost to volunteers and schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marine Mammal Medic Courses Certification training program enabling volunteers to join Project Jonah's nationwide Marine Mammal Medic network. Covers first aid for stranded whales and dolphins, rescue techniques, and welfare assessment. Delivered in-person at locations across New Zealand.
• Pilot Pulse AI Whale-Detection Buoy AI-powered marine mammal detection buoy deployed in Mohua/Golden Bay, New Zealand. Uses computer vision and acoustic processing to identify whales and dolphins in real time to help prevent strandings and enable rapid response.
• School & Kindergarten Visits Interactive 45-minute education program delivered by volunteer educators at New Zealand schools and kindergartens, covering whale strandings, marine environment, and New Zealand marine mammals. Available free with suggested koha donation.
• World of Whales Educational Teaching Kit Free educational resource for New Zealand teachers and schools (K-8 grades) covering whales, dolphins, and marine conservation. Includes hands-on materials for classroom use. The kit is provided free to schools; only postage is paid. Limited to one per school.
• Whale ID Cards Fan-deck format identification cards featuring New Zealand marine mammal species with visual guides, sighting notes, silhouettes, and species information. Updated in 2023, printed on waterproof RockStock paper made from stone off-cuts. Sold at $10 per set.
• EUGY Humpback Whale 3D Craft Activity Eco-friendly 3D cardboard craft of a humpback whale for children and adults. Made from 100% premium recyclable cardboard with non-toxic vegan ink and water-soluble glue. No plastic packaging. Includes educational facts.
• Project Jonah T-shirts – Unisex Unisex t-shirts featuring a community design by Kaikōura artist and Marine Mammal Medic Dani Spencer, celebrating whales, dolphins, and people. Printed locally on 100% organic cotton, pesticide-free and eco-friendly. Available in sizes XXS to 2XL.
• Logo T-Shirt – Unisex Unisex organic cotton t-shirt featuring the refreshed Project Jonah logo. Made from pesticide-free, eco-friendly materials.
• Recycled Cotton Hat One-size-fits-all snapback cap made from 65% recycled cotton canvas and 35% recycled cotton. Features anti-bacterial quick-dry sweatband, curved peak, and embroidered Project Jonah logo.
• 50th Anniversary Sticker Pack Limited edition 8-sticker collection celebrating Project Jonah's 50th anniversary. Features iconic logos from 50 years of operation. Includes 4 large and 4 small waterproof, gloss laminated stickers.
• Whale Notebook 64-page blank notebook with a painted marine design featuring blue whale, southern right whale, sperm whale, humpback whale, and shark species. Made in Petone, New Zealand from 100% recycled FSC certified pages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained volunteers capable of providing essential first aid to stranded whales and dolphins across New Zealand

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Conservation (DOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOC is the primary government partner regulating marine mammal protection in New Zealand. Project Jonah works closely with DOC at stranding events, coordinating rescue operations and supporting enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978.
• KiwiRailminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKiwiRail assists with transportation during rescue operations, providing equipment and personnel support. In the Sophia Johnston rescue, KiwiRail helped transport a dolphin to a better release point using their hiab vehicle.
• Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki (Local Iwi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Māori iwi partner who actively participates in rescue operations and brings cultural knowledge and community support to stranding responses in the Otago region.
• Massey UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner conducting studies on marine mammals including Bryde's whale feeding behavior, sperm whale genetics, and dolphin age determination techniques.
• University of OtagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner studying sperm whale population structure and behavior in Kaikōura waters using acoustic data and inter-pulse interval analysis.
• University of AucklandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner researching Bryde's whale feeding tactics and behavior in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.
• Auckland Whale & Dolphin SafariminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism partner collaborating on research about the relationship between Australasian gannets and common dolphins in the Hauraki Gulf.
• Department of Conservation (DOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOC works with Project Jonah on strandings response, marine mammal protection regulations, and enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They regulate whale watching industry and handle marine mammal incident reports (0800 DOC HOT line).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): International animal welfare organization with active marine mammal rescue (Oceanic DisEntanglement, Marine Mammal Rescue) programs. Comparable in stranding response and policy advocacy, but at global scale with institutional funding.
• WWF-New Zealand: New Zealand arm of a global conservation NGO with marine programs including cetacean and ocean habitat protection. Comparable in NZ-based conservation fundraising and education, but broader species and habitat remit.
• Forest & Bird (New Zealand): Long-established NZ conservation nonprofit (founded 1922) covering native species, marine protection, and advocacy. Comparable as an NZ-headquartered, donation-driven environmental nonprofit with member/volunteer programs.
• Marine Conservation Institute: International nonprofit focused on ocean protection and marine species conservation. Comparable as a mission-driven marine conservation NGO, though US-headquartered and focused more on policy and global ocean protection than stranding rescue.
• Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC): Global whale and dolphin protection nonprofit with similar rescue, advocacy, and education programs. Comparable in mission and volunteer-driven model, but operates internationally rather than in a single country.

Others

• Department of Conservation (DOC) New Zealand: NZ government agency that administers the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978 and operates the 0800 DOC HOT sighting hotline. A Core strategic partner of Project Jonah and a key adjacent stakeholder in marine mammal rescue, though it is a regulator rather than a direct nonprofit peer.
• Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari: NZ whale and dolphin watching operator that collaborates with Project Jonah on Hauraki Gulf research. Adjacent/commercial peer in marine mammal tourism — an ecosystem partner rather than a direct rescue competitor.

Regional players

• Australian Marine Mammal Research Foundation: Australian nonprofit focused on marine mammal research and conservation with cetacean stranding response. Comparable in mission and cetacean focus, but Australian geography and primarily research-oriented.
• Sea Shepherd Australia: Marine conservation organization with regional focus on Australia and the Pacific, including cetacean protection work. Comparable mission and volunteer-base model, but Australian geography and broader activist orientation.

Direct peers

• Save the Whales Foundation: US-based nonprofit focused on marine mammal education and conservation advocacy. Comparable in donor-supported education-and-advocacy model, though operating in the US rather than NZ and with a narrower single-species focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/projectjonah
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectjonahnz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-jonah-new-zealand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Jonah New Zealand