On 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
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Since we started writing these sightings summary reports last year, for the first time our most sighted species podium has a new species. Check out what has been seen this winter and what species have made it onto the podium.
Image credit: Elaine
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A walrus has been spotted hauled out on Cairn na Burgh Beag - a small island which forms part of the Treshnish Isles, off the NW coast of the Isle of Mull. Local creel fisherman, Lorn MacRae, spotted the massive creature basking on the shore in the winter sun.
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A lone bottlenose dolphin was reported off the coast of Appin, sparking investigation into who the individual may be. Thanks to the efforts of all involved, the dolphin was identified, deepening the understanding of this individual’s life story and shedding light on the movements of bottlenose dolphins around our coasts.
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It’s been an exciting year for sightings across the west coast of Scotland. It’s been a particularly busy year for sightings of the West Coast Community members, John Coe and Aquarius. Between February and October 2022, the famous pair have been Photo ID’d across a total of 33 days, with their location ranging from the Hebrides, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Photo credit: EmmaJane-HebridesCruises
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Thanks to everyone still watching for whales and dolphins over autumn and winter and reporting what they’ve spotted - it’s fantastic to see the awesome encounters coming through Whale Track. From our favourite killer whale celebrities, John Coe and Aquarius, to the 100th humpback whale being added to the Scottish Humpback Whale ID Catalogue, it’s been an exciting couple of months for marine life in Scottish seas
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Although rare, humpback whales are now being sighted with increasing regularity in Scottish waters - with the 100th whale documented this year. They are known to migrate through Scottish waters between their feeding and breeding grounds. Find out how citizen scientists are deepening the understanding of these awesome creatures
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Joint Warrior, Europe’s largest military exercise, will begin in Scottish waters today. Please be vigilant and contribute to our long-term monitoring efforts by reporting your excursions and sightings on Whale Track.
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What have our Whale Track community been seeing this Summer?
We look back at some of the sighting reports we’ve received this summer, with a focus on the different species of whale recorded in Hebridean seas.
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WARNING: This blog contains graphic images.
Have you ever come across someone cutting up a dead whale or dolphin and wondered 'what on earth are they doing?' We discuss the importance of learning from the dead and who you should report any dead whales or dolphins to if you come across them.
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Explore the amazing sightings reported during this years National Whale and Dolphin Watch event.
Image: Harbour porpoise ©Graeme-brown
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National Whale and Dolphin Watch is an exciting annual marine mammal monitoring event, run by the Seawatch Foundation, that aims to get as many people as possible looking out to sea all around the UK, providing a snapshot of what is being seen in UK waters. Find out more about the event and how to get involved.
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What have our Whale Track community been seeing this Spring?
We look at some of the sighting reports we’ve been receiving this Spring, including long finned pilot whales, basking sharks and even a fin whale!
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When reporting your sighting, we ask you to identify the behaviours displayed by the animal you’re watching. But why is this important?
We've broken down what behaviours you may see and why it is so important to record them.
Citizen 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.
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Orca 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
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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.
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Spring is a vital time to monitor whales, dolphins, and porpoises, collectively known as cetaceans, in the waters of western Scotland. Our seas begin to warm and whales migrate into our productive waters to feed. We explore some of the species you may encounter this spring.
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The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) are calling on members of the public to get involved with efforts to protect Scottish whales and dolphins by reporting what they’ve spotted and carrying out surveys from both land and sea. The appeal comes as the conservation charity launches its new and improved Whale Track community sightings app and website.
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Check 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!
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