The Secret Lives of Whales: A Deep Dive with the HWDT

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We spoke to Morven Summers from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust to uncover the incredible work they do to protect whales, dolphins, and porpoises in Scotland's waters. From innovative citizen science initiatives to their floating classroom aboard Silurian, HWDT combines research, education, and community engagement to inspire action for marine conservation.

What are the primary goals of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, and how have these goals evolved over time?

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust's vision is of healthy seas for whales, dolphins, porpoises and people. Our mission is to conserve these animals through robust science, inspirational education and meaningful engagement, so that they thrive in harmony alongside coastal communities. Twenty-three species have been recorded in Hebridean waters, that’s more than a quarter of global species, making this an area of vital importance.


We work with our communities to deliver our conservation work, combining research and education to better understand the species in our seas and inspire people to get involved with protecting them. Our conservation work is delivered through citizen science and long-term research projects. Data collected during research expeditions is shared with governments, universities, researchers and other environment organisations to drive effective marine conservation. 


In 2017 we launched Whale Track - the first app released in the UK for gathering sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises – which has provided a platform for anyone with a smart phone to get involved with research. Over time, our Whale Track community of citizen scientists has grown and the geographical area where we gather data is now Scotland-wide, not just the Hebrides. Our education work seeks to inspire more people to care for the marine environment. 


We deliver high quality educational activities for schools: on board Silurian, within the classroom and engaging with pupils through online sessions. We run accredited responsible wildlife-watching courses and host volunteer training placements. Our work with communities is the foundation of what we do and we encourage everyone and anyone to get involved with helping protect our marine environment.

What specific challenges are marine mammals like whales and dolphins facing in the Hebridean waters?

We all face an unprecedented climate emergency and biodiversity crisis, which are intrinsically linked. Our seas and oceans are under huge pressure; increasingly busy, noisy and polluted. Hebridean seas are considered wild and pristine, but marine mammals here face the same challenges that others face globally. 


Noise pollution is a big concern for whales, dolphins and porpoises as human activity intensifies the marine soundscape. Entanglement in static fishing gear is also a challenge for our larger marine mammals, particularly whales. HWDT is proud to be a member of the Scottish Entanglement Alliance, a cross community group of industry and conservation organisations working together to address the entanglement threat to these creatures. 


Chemical pollution of our seas has resulted in the demise of the West Coast Community of killer whales. Accumulation of toxins through the food chain, specifically PCBs, has rendered this population infertile. With only two old males reported in recent times, this unique population will become extinct over the coming years. 

HWDT engages the public in marine research. Can you explain the impact of citizen science on your conservation efforts and how people can get involved?

Members of the public gathering data – citizen scientists - underpins all HWDTs research work. Every data point in our databases (and there are millions of them!) have been added by a member of the public. HWDT runs two citizen science programmes: monitoring expeditions on board our research vessel, Silurian, and Whale Track, a free and user-friendly app which allows people to report if they’ve spotted a whale, dolphin, porpoise or basking shark.


The expeditions on board Silurian have been running for over 20 years, welcoming over 1,000 people aboard during that time. The long term nature of this programme is critical, these animals are long lived and highly mobile – only over the long term can we determine how different species are faring in our seas. The data gathered during expeditions is having real-world application; used by Government to set boundaries for marine protected areas, detected and monitored localised changes in the marine environment and used to advocate for healthier seas for cetaceans. Anyone can join an expedition as full training is provided by our passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable crew.


Whale Track is now used by over 7,000 people around Scotland, who report what they’ve seen, helping deepen the understanding of the different species seen off our coasts. The Whale Track community are making significant discoveries and are vital to tracking and monitoring rarer species, such as humpback and killer whales. Anyone can join the Whale Track community; from locals to visitors, wildlife tour boats to fishermen, this group is proactively working towards a clearer picture of species in Scotland’s waters. Simply download the app and report your sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises. 

Can you tell us more about Silurian's role as a "floating classroom"?

Twice a field season, Silurian transforms into a floating classroom and welcomes on board children from primary schools across the Highlands and Islands. The sessions on board spark passion for marine conservation and give children a unique and immersive experience onboard a Scottish whale research yacht. During these sessions we uncover the secret lives of whales, explore the vessel, meet the crew, hoist the sail, spot with binoculars, shout "sighting" and listen beneath the waves. The feedback from these floating classroom sessions is always fantastic – from both the teachers and the kids. 


In April this year, we circumnavigated the Isle of Mull, visiting some schools for the first time in 10 years! In September, we hoisted the anchor and set sail for the Outer Hebrides, welcoming on board kids from primary schools across Barra, South Uist and Bernenry. 

Could you share details about a particularly exciting or unique research project HWDT has undertaken?

HWDT has been gathering data on minke whales off the west coast of Scotland for three decades and published a digital version of our Minke Whale Catalogue in 2023. Bringing together photographic identification records submitted by members of the public, this catalogue documents more than 300 individual whales which have been identified in the Hebrides since 1990. A third have been seen more than once – some over many years and others numerous times.


A minke whale named Snowy has visited the region over an astonishing 27-year period – the longest known history of sightings for this species in Europe. A whale known as Knobble holds the title for the most frequently recorded minke whale in the Hebrides, having been spotted more than 60 times since 2002, mostly in waters around the Isle of Mull. 


The catalogue is helping us assess the health of the whales, and threats facing them. Scars and injuries have revealed that 22% of minke whales have at some point been entangled in marine litter and fishing gear, which can cause mobility problems, injury and even death. Minke whales are also a target species for commercial whaling in Iceland and Norway. Whales hunted there are believed to be from the same population as those identified in the Hebrides, but their movement patterns are not fully understood.


The minke whale catalogue will help strengthen international understanding of whale movements through collaboration with researchers in other countries, and contribute to wide-scale conservation action to protect these animals throughout their range. 

What steps can the public take to help protect whales, dolphins, and other marine life in the Hebrides and beyond? How can individuals contribute to HWDT’s conservation efforts, whether through direct action or raising awareness?

Anyone can get involved with conservation efforts by becoming a citizen scientist. Our expeditions are open to all as full training and support is provided through-out by our passionate crew; from survey protocol to flushing the toilet, we have you covered! 


The Whale Track app is free and easy to use, so if you spot a sea creature, please report it. Each sighting is significant from a lone harbour porpoise to a pod of orca – please report your sightings and add to the growing body of evidence used to demonstrate how important Scotland’s seas are to these creatures. Reports made through Whale Track are used to generate an interactive sightings map on the website, so you can also explore what’s been spotted in your area. Find out more information about these citizen science programme on our website.


More widely, we would encourage people to also report animals they find washed ashore to the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) who have a network of trained volunteers who will gather samples for analysis to try and understand the health of species found in our waters and determine the cause of death and the challenges these creatures are facing. If you come across an animal in distress, we would also encourage people to contact the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) who pull on their network of trained volunteers to mobilise and assist. 

Find out more

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust shows that protecting marine life is something everyone can be part of. Whether it’s joining an expedition, using the Whale Track app, or raising awareness, your actions can make a real difference.

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