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This April, thanks to support from The Waterfall Fund and Baillie Gifford, we will be setting sail around Mull to welcome schools aboard our research vessel, Silurian. HWDT’s education team are also inviting local communities to join them aboard during our drop-in open boat events.
Read MoreZoe Stevenson, a member of the Whale Track community who reports sightings whilst working with Hebrides Cruises, shares some highlight lunge feeding minke sightings, including one, thanks to a rather unusual tip off
Coastguard exercise © Zoe Stevenson
Read MoreLynsey Bland, a member of the Whale Track community, shares a sighting from a particularly memorable autumn day.
Minke whale © Lynsey Bland
Read MoreOver 90 people joined an expedition during the 2023 field season. Trained in data collection and survey protocol, these citizen scientists joined a community of people - stretching back over 20 years - helping to improve the understanding of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks off Scotland’s west coast and safeguard them for future generations.
Read MoreHannah Mcvicar, who reports what sea creatures she’s spotted through Whale Track, shares some memorable sightings from this season, including an unexpected encounter with 8 basking sharks!
Basking shark image © Hannah Mcvicar
Read MoreKnobble - the famous minke whale - returns to the Hebrides, highlighting how important the region is for these animals, who migrate each year to feed in the rich waters off Scotland’s west coast
Read MoreHWDT’s education team are inviting local communities to join them aboard our research vessel, Silurian.
Read MoreThe Scottish Government are currently running a public consultation to seek your views on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). HWDT will be responding to the consultation and we hope that all stakeholders will take the opportunity to voice their views, so that the best possible outcome can be reached for whales, dolphins, porpoises and people.
Read MoreMeet Jenny - our new Fieldwork Research Manager, but she’s no stranger to Silurian or HWDT. Jenny has been part of the team for a while, most recently as our Exhibitions Officer in our Discovery Centre, while providing relief cover for the Science Officer on board Silurian.
Read MoreThis week the Royal National Mòd is underway; a wonderful celebration of the Gaelic culture here in Scotland. Below, Coinneach MacFhraing explores the connection between the Gaels and the sea creatures which inhabit our waters, by sharing his knowledge of the place names associated with whales and dolphins.
Read MoreThanks to generous sponsorship, HWDT are delighted to offer two free spaces to young adults living on the west coast of Scotland. If you are aged 16 or 17 and have an interest in the marine environment, apply today to join us for free on an expedition running 2nd – 8th August 2022.
Read MoreCatching 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.
Read MoreOur second research expedition of the summer field season was exceptional - recording a total of seven marine mammal species, including killer whales, John Coe and Aquarius of the West Coast Community! Hannah, our Science Officer on board who leads the data collection programme shares her experience
Read MoreCheck out what’s been reported over the winter by our wonderful Whale Track community. Recording whale, dolphin and porpoise movements over winter months is crucial to building a year-round understanding of how these creatures use our waters and document any changes over time. A huge thank you to all our Whale Track reporters for helping undertake this vital work!
Read MoreCraig Mackie gives us an update on the first winter expedition of 2021, where a couple of ‘summer visitors’ were recorded. The winter survey programme, funded by Nature Scot, is helping us improve our year-round understanding of Hebridean marine environment
Read MoreKnobble and Kasey return to the Hebrides this month, highlighting how important the region is for minke whales who migrate to feed in the rich waters off Scotland’s west coast during the summer months.
Read MoreHWDT are delighted to receive a cheque for over £300 from pupils at Struan Ocean School based on the Isle of Skye, after they made and sold Ocean School sea salt and seaweed products.
Read MoreThanks to the fantastic photographs taken by the team at Hebridean Adventures, a humpback whale spotted last May off the Isle of Lewis, has been re-sighted in the Minch again, just over one year later!
Read MoreThe Scottish Government is currently running a public consultation and is seeking your views on a new UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy. The strategy aims to support the conservation of nine of the most commonly seen cetaceans in UK waters, and now includes minke whales.
Read MoreConnecting young people with their marine environment inspires future stewardship. During British Science Week, we engaged with over 350 pupils all across Scotland, sharing knowledge of the whales and dolphins seen off our coasts and championing pathways for working in conservation.
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