John Coe and Aquarius do the Rounds
Catching sight of killer whales in the wild is an experience people will never forget; to see a massive black dorsal fin break the surface is truly awe inspiring. Recently, excitement was at a high when west coast celebrities - John Coe and Aquarius - were reported around Mull and Skye, with the pair of old bulls staying in the area for an extended period of time.
John Coe and Aquarius are members of the West Coast Community of killer whales. These individuals form a distinct ecotype and are unique among other north eastern Atlantic populations of killer whale. They can be distinguished from other groups seen off Scottish shores by their unusual sloping eye patch, larger size and distinctive tooth wear.
RECENT ENCOUNTERS
Below is a timeline of confirmed sightings of John Coe and Aquarius so far this year (Jan 2022 - May 2022)
24 February: John Coe and Aquarius are seen and recorded by John Davie and Rhys Macleod in the Lochmaddy area.
19 March: The pair are photographed from Niest Point, Skye by Simon Haworth.
24 March: Peter Henry records incredible footage of the pair mid way between Ardglass, Co Down and the Isle of Man
02 April: John Coe and Aquarius are confirmed as being seen at Bray Head, Co. Kerry, Ireland by a video sent into the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group by fisherman Declan O’Donnell.
17 April: The first confirmed sighting of the pair back in Scottish waters after their recent trip to Ireland With information from a nearby vessel that killer whales had been seen around the Isle of Muck, the crew on board our research vessel Silurian, decided to come off survey effort, with the aim of collecting photo ID images of the individuals.
19 April: John Coe and Aquarius were spotted around the Point of Sleat, Skye, by Andrew Currie.
25 & 26 April: Clearly identifiable footage of the pair shows them around the Isle of Mull on 26 April, with reports coming in from multiple boat operators and individuals.
27 April: John Coe and Aquarius are once again seen between the Isle of Mull and Staffa, with John Orr sending in photo ID shots,
27 April: The pair travel north being photo ID’d at Neist Point, Skye, by Simon Haworth.
28t April: Aaron McLean then spot the pair 2 miles of the Isle of Rum.
29 April: Andy Tait and Michael Butterworth photographed the pair around the Cairns of Coll
18 May: both males were spotted off the coast of north west Mull
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION
Individuals whales and dolphins can be recognised by the unique shape of their dorsal fin - like the equivalent of a fingerprint. Killer whales can also be identified by the shape and colouration of their saddle patch – the patch of white behind their dorsal fin. Photo-ID is a tool deployed by researchers, where individuals are identified using photographs and pinned in space and time. This simple technique allows for us to deepen our understanding at both individual and species level - social interactions, individual age, population size, range and habitat preference over time (if any). HWDT has been collating photographs and sightings of the West Coast Community since 1992.
The unmistakable dorsal fin of John Coe
John Coe and Aquarius are the only two members of the West Coast Community that have been reported in recent years, prompting fears that they may be the last remaining members of this population. With John Coe thought to be over 60 years old and Aquarius not that much younger, it’s always a relief to learn that they’re still plying our waters.
WHALE TRACK
Whale Track is an innovative citizen science project where anyone can help monitor whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks in Scottish waters. By letting us know what you’ve spotted, you are directly contributing to the knowledge base and helping protect these awesome creatures. We want to thank everyone who reported their sightings of John Coe and Aquarius through Whale Track - sighting reports are an essential tool to help us track their movements and record behaviours, contributing to our understanding of these unique individuals. We’d also like to thank the wider Whale Track community, a growing group of people who are deepening our understanding of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks off Scotland’s west coast.
RESPONSIBLE WATCHING
While the potential to spot John Coe or Aquarius is an exciting prospect, it is important to remember how vulnerable they are, despite their large and powerful appearance.
Cetaceans – the collective term for whales, dolphins, and porpoise – are sensitive to disturbance from human activity, including boat traffic, so it is vital we manage our encounters with these animals responsibly. Assessing the situation and behaviour of cetaceans before approaching is vital in understanding and respecting how the encounter will go. Limiting our time with them, keeping our distance, and even avoiding the encounter altogether if they have received a lot of attention already that day, will help minimise any disturbance to the animals, while allowing an enjoyable encounter for all involved.
Watching from land has the least impact on whales and dolphins, creating zero disturbance to their lives. On the west coast of Scotland we have established the Hebridean Whale Trail, providing inspiration for land based watching.
Tomorrow also marks the start of Orca Watch, a Sea Watch Foundation initiative bringing together people on Scotland’s north coast, Orkney and Shetland. Over a 10 day period, citizen scientists will be attending watches hoping to catch sight of the killer whales which frequent those waters. All reports made through Whale Track are validated and passed on to the Seawatch Foundation so if you report a killer whale over the coming 10 days, it will be added to the Orca Watch data.