Killer whales hold a special wonder for many people and in recent years, John Coe and Aquarius of the West Coast Community have become local celebrities. Morven, our Communications Manager, has followed the story of the plight of these killer whales for many years. Here she shares what has been uncovered about the group since she began working at the Trust…
Read MoreThe tale of the West Coast Community of killer whales will be told in a new film by Director, George Hoagy Morris. Over the coming weeks, George will take to the water, attempting to capture footage of the elusive West Coast Community. Inspired by the story of this unique population of killer whales, the film will share their tragic story with new audiences.
Read MoreKiller whales, also known as orcas, are one of the most easily recognised species in Scottish waters. We dive into why this apex predator is so many people’s favourite dolphin.
Read MoreOn Mother’s Day, we’re taking a dive into the maternal instincts of whales, exploring how dedicated killer whale Mums are when it comes to raising young
Read MoreCitizen science plays a key role in deepening our understanding of whales, dolphins and porpoise. The ‘mystery’ killer whale pod is a great example of the impact citizen science can have. Discover the story of this mystery pod and how citizen scientists are helping to add more pieces to their puzzle.
Read MoreOrca Watch is running this week, a ten-day event coordinated by the Seawatch Foundation. With land based watches taking place all around Caithness, North Sutherland, Orkney and Shetland, enthusiastic citizen scientists will be keen to catch a glimpse of these apex predators. But it’s not all black and white when it comes to killer whale populations in Scottish seas
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 MoreWhat is believed to be the first match of killer whales between Scotland and Norway has been made after experts identified three individuals photographed in southern Norway this month as part of a ‘mystery pod’ seen off Scotland’s west coast in 2018.
Read MoreWell-known killer whale John Coe from the West Coast Community has been spotted of the English coast again, this time seen off Dover, in the English Channel. John Coe was seen with a second individual, likely to be Aquarius.
Read MoreMuch loved killer whales John Coe and Aquarius from the West Coast Community have returned to the Hebrides 9 days after this famous pair were recorded off the English coast for the first time.
Read MoreWith a year in lockdown just passed, we look back at some of the most memorable encounters of whales and dolphins off Scotland’s west coast over this time.
Read MoreThe identity of a group of nine killer whales off Scotland’s west coast, encountered during the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s annual marine research expeditions last year, remains a mystery, despite extensive research and a flurry of sightings of killer whales in the Hebrides over recent weeks.
Read MoreNew research published today in the journal Science, led by Aarhus University in Denmark, predicts more than half of the world’s killer whale (orca) populations face collapse due to the effects of invisible toxic pollutants called PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).
Read MoreEver wondered what it would be like to join HWDT as a volunteer on Silurian? Well know you can find out! Read our guest piece by dedicated volunteer Rod White, who has joined us seven times monitoring whales and dolphins along Scotland’s west coast.
Read MoreWe are delighted to announce Whale Track has been named as a finalist in the 2018 National Lottery Awards – the annual search for people’s favourite National Lottery-funded projects. You can help us win by voting now!
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