Posts tagged research vessel
Whale Track: NTS Culzean Castle Community Event

This July, join HWDT and The National Trust for Scotland at Culzean Castle and Country Park to find out what whales and dolphins can be spotted in your area and how you can get involved in helping us deepen our understanding about these animals by conducting a ‘watch from land’ using whale Track.

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Whale Track: Clyde Community Watch Events

This May, HWDT are visiting the Clyde to run a series of Whale Track watch events. Join us to find out what whales and dolphins can be spotted in the Clyde and get involved in helping us deepen our understanding about these animals by conducting a ‘watch from land’ using Whale Track.

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HWDT’s Floating Classroom to visit Mull schools for the first time in 10 years

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.

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Listening for Conservation

Many of us have little comprehension of how noisy the aquatic world is, you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s a peaceful environment…it’s anything but! Our seas and oceans are a cacophony of sound and getting increasingly noisier, as human activity intensifies the soundscape.

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For the love of long-term monitoring

Long-term monitoring is the foundation of effective conservation. At HWDT we talk about long-term monitoring a lot but what is it and why is it such an important part of wildlife conservation?  

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All in a weeks work for our First Mate Jake!

Silurian is not just a research vessel, she’s home to the hundreds of volunteers who join us each year and doubles up as a floating classroom, welcoming on board school children to be inspired by their local marine environment. Our First Mate Jake has been giving our hardworking vessel some TLC.

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Silurian: from smuggling to science

Since 2002, our research vessel, Silurian, has been collecting information of international importance on marine life in the Hebrides.  A recognisable and familiar presence off Scotland’s west coast, Silurian and her teams of citizen scientists have worked hard, monitoring and protecting areas of critical habitat for whales and dolphins, but has she always undertaken such vital work?

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Monitoring the Hebrides for 20 Years!

To protect our marine environment, we must first understand it.  How do we deepen our understanding…data. HWDTs flagship, Silurian, celebrated a milestone in 2022 - marking 20 years of monitoring Hebridean seas. Read all about the 20th field season on board Silurian  

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Second Research Expedition Records 7 Species!

Our 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

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Exploring the new Whale Track app and website

Just in time for Spring, as spotting conditions improve and the wildlife begins to arrive in larger numbers around local shores, we have released a new and improved Whale Track app. Here we explore five new features of Whale Track.

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Exciting Upgrades Boost Conservation

Adventure beckons as the summer field season on board our research vessel, Silurian, kicks off this weekend. But before we raise the anchor and set sail, we’d love to share some of the exciting developments we’ve made over the winter with support from the NatureScot Nature Restoration Fund.

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'Seasonal Visitors' Encountered on the First Winter Expedition of the Season

Craig 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

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*PRESS RELEASE* Mystery killer whale pod investigated off Scotland’s west coast

The 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.

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'Into the Blue' with Rod White

Each week, alongside the Blue Planet II series, our team will share their own 'Into the Blue' moments from on board our research vessel, Silurian.  This week, Rod White - one of our dedicated volunteers - shares his experience.

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End of Season Summary

Now back in Tobermory bay for winter refurbishment, Silurian’s survey season for the year is at an end, and what a year it’s been! This summer, Silurian has travelled a whopping 9,500km, and has collected almost 4,000 individual animal sightings.

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