Adopt an ocean giant
The gift for ocean lovers that funds real science. Choose one of 18 ocean animals, add a name, and download the certificate and card in minutes.
What they get
A certificate with their name, and a card from you
- A personalized certificate with the name you choose and the date, signed by MMF co-founder Dr. Simon Pierce.
- A gift card for a birthday, Valentine's Day or Christmas, with your own message.
- Ready straight away. Both download as PDFs as soon as checkout is complete, so it works as a last-minute gift.
Choose your animal
Adopt a shark: every shark adoption on one page
- Whale sharkThe world's biggest fish is Endangered. MMF leads or contributes to whale shark research from Mozambique to Oman.Adopt · $39
Manta rayThe world's largest rays, studied by MMF scientists in Mozambique, South Africa, Indonesia, and Florida.Adopt · $39
Sea turtleMMF identifies hawksbill and green turtles in Indonesia from the scale pattern on their faces.Adopt · $39
Leopard sharkAn Endangered reef shark, harmless to people, studied at Byron Bay, Australia, and in southern Mozambique.Adopt · $39
DugongThe western Indian Ocean's last viable dugong population, and the Mozambique seagrass meadows MMF works with communities to protect.Adopt · $39
Hammerhead sharkScalloped hammerheads are Critically Endangered, and they share their waters with the animals MMF and partners track from the Galápagos to Mozambique.Adopt · $39
Tiger sharkA wide-ranging predator, detected on the receiver network MMF shares with partners in Mozambique's Bazaruto Seascape.Adopt · $39
Bull sharkThe shark that swims up rivers, a Vulnerable predator MMF tracked in Mozambique's Bazaruto Seascape.Adopt · $39
Grey nurse sharkCritically Endangered, and identified from photos by MMF and partners along Australia's east coast.Adopt · $39
Blacktip reef sharkA Vulnerable reef shark. MMF's camera surveys follow young blacktips in a marine reserve off Mafia Island, Tanzania.Adopt · $39
Oceanic whitetip sharkOnce described as perhaps the most abundant large animal on Earth, now Critically Endangered. Support MMF's work for threatened sharks and rays.Adopt · $39
Great white sharkA wide-ranging hunter that crosses ocean borders. Support MMF's work for sharks that need countries to cooperate.Adopt · $39
Humpback whaleHumpback whales breach on the horizon each winter in Mozambique's Bazaruto Seascape, where MMF works with fishers to reduce netting in critical habitat.Adopt · $39
DolphinSuperpods of dolphins roam the open ocean off Mozambique's Bazaruto Seascape, a focus of MMF's conservation work.Adopt · $39
Rhino rayRhino rays include the world's most threatened marine fish families. MMF studies them in Mozambique and Florida.Adopt · $39
Smalleye stingrayThe largest marine stingray on record, a rare giant MMF scientists first reported from Africa in 2008.Adopt · $39
MarlinMozambique is one of the few places where very large black marlin are caught, and MMF tracks them there.Adopt · $39
Devil rayRarely seen mobula rays, whose populations can take decades to double, studied by MMF from Florida to Mozambique.Adopt · $39
Signed by the scientist
Every adoption supports MMF's research and conservation work
Your certificate is signed by Dr. Simon Pierce, who co-founded the Marine Megafauna Foundation.
How it works
- 1
Choose and adopt
Pick an animal and pay securely in the pop-up. Your receipt arrives by email.
- 2
Add the name
Type the adoptee's name and see it on the certificate.
- 3
Download and give
Download the certificate, add a message to a gift card, then print or forward them.
Florida Manta ProjectPrefer a real, named manta ray?Adopt a real, live manta ray from Florida, such as Skye, one of the mantas the Florida Manta Project has satellite-tagged.See the Florida mantasYou can also name a manta ray in Indonesia.
Adoption FAQs
What is a symbolic adoption?
A symbolic adoption is a gift to MMF's work as a whole. We use it where it does the most good, and that includes the research and conservation behind the animal you chose. No animal is taken from the wild or sent to you. Your certificate records your support.
What do I receive?
A personalized adoption certificate (PDF) with the name you choose and the date, ready to download as soon as checkout is complete. You can also make a gift card for a birthday, Valentine's Day, or Christmas with your own message. Both are yours to print or send by email.
Can I give an adoption as a gift?
Yes. Type the recipient's name for the certificate and write your message on the gift card. Because everything is digital, it works as a last-minute gift too.
How do I get my certificate?
After checkout you are taken to a page where you type the name and download the certificate. The link to that page is also in your receipt email, so you can come back to it later.
Is my adoption tax-deductible?
Your adoption is tax-deductible in the USA. MMF is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization, and you receive a receipt by email.
Is anything sent by mail?
No. The certificate and card are digital files, so nothing is printed or shipped.
The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) is a globally recognized marine conservation non-profit. We’re focused on protecting the most endangered ocean giants, and the habitats they call home.