CHANGE THE WORLD

Join us as we embark on a journey of discovery to re-trace Charles Darwin’s voyage around the globe.


CHANGE THE WORLD

Join us as we embark on a journey of discovery to re-trace Charles Darwin’s voyage around the globe.

OUR MISSION

DARWIN200 is a planetary conservation initiative which aims to change the world for the better.

We are sailing a historic tallship around the world following Charles Darwin’s voyage aboard HIMS Beagle two centuries ago.

Using our ship as a floating laboratory and media platform, we will harness the legacy of Charles Darwin’s passion for natural history to engage worldwide audiences and advance global conservation.

Discover our project goals below & join our mission.

Where are we on our Global Voyage?

Our journey will consist of 32 voyage legs and we will be making landfall at key locations where Charles Darwin stepped ashore. But where are we now….

50.3755° N, 4.1427° W


DEPARTED
15th AUG
2023
FROM
PLYMOUTH UK

01
GOAL 1

EMPOWER

Train exceptional DARWIN, LEADERS, one from each of 200 countries and states around the world. These young conservationists will become tomorrow’s environmental leaders.

02
GOAL 2

INSPIRE

Create the WORLD’S MOST EXCITING CLASSROOM to reconnect global audiences with nature, science and conservation.

03
GOAL 3

solve

Undertake citizen science RESEARCH PROJECTS tackling many of the world’s most critical environmental problems to engage global audiences in practical solutions.

DARWIN Leaders

DARWIN200 is selecting the world’s top young (18+ year old) conservationists – one from each of two hundred countries and states around the world.

These exceptional young conservationists (known as ‘Darwin Leaders’) are carefully chosen for their abilities, initiative and determination. Many have already accomplished inspiring conservation feats (such as setting up projects to save endangered species or efforts to educate audiences in their home countries). All show the raw, burning passion to protect the natural world and drive positive change for a better future.

From August 2023 to July 2025, groups of 4-8 Darwin Leaders will travel to our ship in each of the ports Charles Darwin visited, using our ship as a floating laboratory and media platform.

World’s Most Exciting Classroom

During the DARWIN200 2023-2025 Global Voyage, our goal is to engage with millions of students at schools across the planet via continuous streams of free online activities, research projects, experiments, lectures, competitions and weekly ‘nature hour’ events.
We call these outreach activities ‘the world’s most exciting classroom’.
All our outreach activities will be completely free of charge for students, teachers and the general public. Our goal is to engage 200 million students worldwide during our two-year global voyage and for years to come.

Research

In continuation of Charles Darwin’s work aboard HMS Beagle, the DARWIN200 ship will offer a unique platform to support 8 research projects into many of the world’s most critical environmental problems. Results will be displayed via live data feeds, results presentations, online lectures and interviews with the professional teams of researchers behind each initiative.

12.02.1809 – 19.04.1882

CHARLES DARWIN

In 1831, at the age of 22, Charles Darwin stepped aboard HMS Beagle in Plymouth, England to being a five year journey around the world. DARWIN200 builds on Charles Darwin’s legacy to educate global audiences about the threats our planet faces and the inspiring conservation work that can save the natural world.

FACTS &
FIGURES

200

Exceptional Darwin Leaders to drive global change over the coming decades

200
Million

Reaching 200 million students worldwide

50
Meter

Historic tall ship Oosterschelde

32

Voyage Legs

8

Interactive Citizen Science Research Projects

2023

Voyage starts

The Global Voyage will be undertaken aboard the historic 50 metre long tall ship Oosterschelde. Built in 1918, this uniquely restored, three masted schooner is one of the most beautiful historic vessels afloat.

Conservation is not about what we have lost but what we still have. Countless species and even entire ecosystems can be brought back from the brink. DARWIN200 will empower tomorrow’s conservation leaders and the global public to change the world for the better to build a brighter future.
Stewart McPherson, Project Leader
Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will
we help. Only if we help, shall we be saved.
Jane Goodall, DARWIN200 Patron
I am very supportive of this incredible project. Using Charles Darwin’s voyage on HMS Beagle as a framework to highlight environmental change as well as the beauty of nature is a timely and noble ambition.
Dr. Sarah Darwin, Charles Darwin’s Great-Great Granddaughter

press releases

Legendary Dutch Tall Ship Oosterschelde en route to Cape Town, Marking a Historic Milestone in the Global DARWIN200 Conservation Mission

Having successfully rounded the treacherous waters of Cape Horn, the historic Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde is currently exploring on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia en…

Press Releases 13-03-25

Historic Dutch Tall Ship Oosterschelde Triumphs Over the Treacherous Waters of Cape Horn during DARWIN200 Conservation Voyage

The historic Dutch tall ship  Oosterschelde achieved a remarkable maritime milestone, successfully reaching Cape Horn during the DARWIN200 conservation mission.

Press Releases 12-02-25

DARWIN200 reaches Hobart, Tasmania aboard historic tall ship Oosterschelde

December 2nd 2024 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia: Today, the iconic DARWIN200 conservation mission aboard historic Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde sailed into Hobart ahead of a programme of…

Press Releases 02-12-24

DARWIN200 arrives into Sydney Harbour midway through its two-year global conservation voyage aboard historic tall ship Oosterschelde

November 12th 2024 Sydney, Australia: Today, the iconic DARWIN200 conservation mission aboard historic Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde sailed into Sydney Harbour for a programme of conservation…

Press Releases 11-11-24

DARWIN200 Expedition Reaches New Zealand

The ship arrived in Whangarei in early October where it underwent some well deserved rest recuperation having sailed over 22,500 nautical miles since its departure.

Press Releases 22-10-24

DARWIN200 Arrives in Fiji Amplifying Conservation Efforts Across the Pacific

The DARWIN200 project arrives in Fiji on 17th September 2024, joined onboard by two Darwin Leaders from Australia & New Zealand.

Press Releases 17-09-24

DARWIN200 is Halfway Through It’s Voyage Around The World

AUGUST 15th 2024 marks one year since the departure of the iconic DARWIN200 voyage which set sail from Plymouth Harbour, UK, on an epic two year planetary conservation…

Press Releases 15-08-24

Rapa Nui Port Visit for Tall Ship Oosterschelde and DARWIN200 Darwin Leaders.

On June 4th 2024 DARWIN200, the two-year planetary conservation mission aboard the magnificent Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde, arrived in Rapa Nui (Easter Island).

Press Releases 11-06-24

Instagram live feed

A legendary moment in our DARWIN200 Global Voyage as the Oosterschelde sails into Simon’s Town, South Africa — the very waters that once carried Charles Darwin himself. Here, history isn’t just remembered, it’s being relived. 🌍⚓

📸 @tomdixonfilm

#Darwin200 #SimonsTown #SailingIntoHistory #LegacyOfDiscovery #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin

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🎥 Behind the cliffs with Cape Vultures 🦅
Filmed at the breathtaking Potberg Mountains colony within De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Getting this footage was no easy feat — Darwin Leader Gift and filmmaker Josh hiked up the mountain at dawn, carrying all our gear, but every step was worth it to witness these incredible birds in their element.

A rare glimpse into the life of one of Southern Africa’s most threatened (and misunderstood) raptors.

Video credit: @joshclarkephotos

#CapeVultures #DeHoopNatureReserve #WildlifeReel #ConservationInAction #Darwin200 #VultureConservation #PotbergMountains #BehindTheScenes #YouthForNature

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After South Africa’s record rainy season, De Hoop’s bontebok have been hit hard by parasites — so Darwin Leader Joshua has been testing new ways to assess population health.

One method? Collecting fresh dung samples. Timing is everything: catch it fresh, bottle it fast, and get it straight into the fridge. Not glamorous, but crucial for understanding the impact of climate on wildlife.

Real conservation, up close and personal.

Video credit: Elliot Connor

#Darwin200 #BontebokConservation #FieldworkUnfiltered #DeHoopNatureReserve #CapeNature #YouthForNature #PooScience #DarwinLeaders #WildlifeMonitoring

54 0

Darwin Leader Gift Munsaka from Zimbabwe sat down with expert guide Eddy in De Hoop Nature Reserve to learn more about the lives — and threats — of Cape vultures.

Often misunderstood or overlooked, these majestic birds play a vital role in healthy ecosystems. With support from our conservation partners CapeNature, Gift is exploring how conservation and public awareness can help protect one of Southern Africa’s most threatened raptors.

This conversation is more than just part of Gift’s Darwin Leader research — it reflects the heart of our mission: bridging local knowledge with global action to safeguard our planet’s biodiversity.

#Darwin200 #CapeVultures #VultureConservation #DeHoopNatureReserve #YouthForNature #DarwinLeaders #CapeTownConservation

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This morning in Gansbaai, Darwin Leaders Manar ElKebir from Tunisia and film maker Willem van den Heever joined the team at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary for feeding time.

Working with @dyertrust, they’re helping care for critically endangered African penguins, whose numbers are plummeting due to overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change.

Behind the scenes, it’s early mornings, careful monitoring, and constant teamwork — all part of the urgent mission to keep this iconic species from disappearing.

#Darwin200 #AfricanPenguins #SeabirdSanctuary #MarineConservation #CapeTownConservation #YouthForNature #DyerIslandConservationTrust #darwinleader

68 2

🦈 Where Are the Great Whites Going?

At the Shark Centre in Gansbaai, Kenyan Darwin Leader Valarie Silali is diving into one of South Africa’s biggest marine mysteries — the disappearance of great white sharks along the southern coastline alongside film maker Tom Dixon.

Working with @dyertrust and @marine_dynamics, Valarie is exploring how orca predation, shifting ecosystems, and climate change are reshaping shark populations — and what that means for the entire marine food web.

This project goes beyond fear and fascination. It’s about understanding apex predators, protecting balance in our oceans, and using science to guide conservation.

Video credit: Tom Dixon

#Darwin200 #GreatWhiteSharks #MarineScience #SharkConservation #CapeTownConservation #YouthForNature #darwinleader

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As the sun rises over Cape Town, we’re preparing to welcome the next wave of ocean changemakers: our Darwin Leaders! 🌍🔬

These inspiring young researchers from around the world will soon begin their independent conservation projects, working hands-on with our local partners across South Africa.

From marine ecosystems to wildlife protection — and we can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have.

Photo credit: Josh Clarke

#Darwin200 #DarwinLeaders #OceanConservation #NextGenerationScientists #ResearchInAction #CapeTown #LifeAtSea #EnvironmentalLeadership #Oosterschelde #ScienceAtSea

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Life aboard never stops — even in port!

From routine maintenance to meal planning for the next leg, the Oosterschelde crew are keeping busy while enjoying land life in Cape Town. ⚓

#Darwin200 #ShipLife #Oosterschelde #BehindTheScenes #PortPrep #LifeAtSea #CapeTown

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Join us LIVE for the next episode of the World’s Most Exciting Classroom live from South Africa! 📚

Thursday, 10th April
9am Eastern / 2pm UK

Watch live or later via the link in our bio.

This week’s episode is jam-packed with global adventure! 🌎

We’re jumping from Canada to New Zealand, Antarctica, and Cape Town, South Africa, where the Oosterschelde has just completed its Atlantic crossing! ⛵

Here’s what’s coming up:

Live uplink from the ship in Cape Town
Guest spotlight: Biologist Sarah Kienle, expert on Leopard Seals
Virtual field trip to the National Kiwi Hatchery in New Zealand
Try a new science experiment in your classroom
Compete in Kahoot to win a $50 gift card for your class!
Discover our new Curiosity of the Week

…and so much more.

Get ready to explore, learn, and have fun with classrooms across the globe! 🌟

#WorldsMostExcitingClassroom #Darwin200 #Oosterschelde #STEMEducation #VirtualFieldTrip #Antarctica #CapeTown #KiwiHatchery #LeopardSeals #GlobalClassroom

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