Join a Teen Team expedition for free!
Thanks to generous sponsorship, HWDT are delighted to offer a free space to a young adult living in Scotland to join an expedition this summer. If you are aged 16 or 17 and have an interest in the marine environment, apply today to join us for free on the research expedition running 04 - 10 August 2024.
The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) monitor Scottish whales, dolphins and porpoises from on board their research vessel, Silurian. Anyone with a passion for the marine environment can join HWDT on board to become citizen scientist; receiving training in how to collect important data. This vital data is used to deepen our understanding of the different species found in the Hebrides and help protect them for future generations.
“The reason for sponsorship is because I believe that because the future of planet Earth and the privilege we have to call it our home depends on us inspiring young people. Watching wildlife on television can be also inspiring but there is nothing like seeing it with our own eyes to bring alive how critical it is ‘do something practical’ to help conservation. My personal experience as a citizen scientist on board Silurian gave me a chance to do something positive for cetaceans, these vitally valuable ocean indicators. If this sponsorship brings an otherwise impossible opportunity for a young person who is passionate about cetaceans and enables the start of their conservation journey, then it is worth much more than any treasure.”
No experience is required to join this live-aboard expedition, full training is provided in all aspects of the trip by the four crew members onboard; from identifying different species, to using the toilet! All meals are provided, and the teens will share twin-berth cabins. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to meet like-minded people and share in a truly unforgettable experience.
“Young people are so engaged with environmental issues and this generous sponsorship will provide a fantastic opportunity to gain hands on experience in conservation. We would encourage any young adult in Scotland with a passion for our seas to apply to join us on board.”
Over the past two decades, thanks to those who have joined an expedition, HWDT have surveyed over 130,000 km of Hebridean seas – equivalent of five times around the world. Over 9,000 hours of underwater recordings have been collected. Over 50,000 individual animals have been observed from almost 16,000 sightings, with a count of 16 different species. Hundreds of thousands of photographs have been collated, analysed, and catalogued to track individual whales and dolphins across Hebridean seas and better understand population range and social interactions.
The vast volume of data collected on board by citizen scientists over the past 20 years provides a unique and powerful body of knowledge, which is having a real impact for the protection of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks found in the waters off western Scotland.
