Beluga whale spotted off the coast of Shetland in Arctic conditions in rare sighting

The beluga whale lives in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters and is currently on the endangered species list.

A beluga whale was spotted off the coast of Shetland in what is a rare sighting for an animal not usually seen in Scottish waters.

Locals reported the sighting off the West Ayre beach in Hillswick on Wednesday. The previous reported sighting of one of the animals off the Scottish coast was in July 2021 in Unst.

The beluga whale lives in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters and is on the endangered species list, with a population of only 150,000 remaining.

Climate change, underwater noise from human activity, and oil and gas exploration in the Arctic region are just some of the reasons behind why the mammal’s survival is threatened.

Local bird photographer and ecologist Rebecca Nason posted about the rare moment on X on Wednesday.

She said: “Incredible to see a beautiful beluga whale, a high Arctic species, I think only seen in Shetland three times previously in West Ayre, Hillswick. Shetland this afternoon in equally Arctic conditions.”

Weather warnings for snow and cold weather are currently in place across Scotland after temperatures dropped to the coldest of the winter so far.

The beluga whale swimming in the Shetland Isles, January 17 2024.

According to provisional recordings by the Met Office, the mercury fell to -14C in Dalwhinnie on Tuesday night, reportedly the lowest January temperature in Britain since 2019.

Forecasters had predicted some snow-covered parts of Scotland could reach -15C overnight, which would have been the coldest January night for 14 years, when -22.3C was recorded in 2010.

The beluga whale is a medium-sized cetacean – up to 5.5m in length – and has a uniform white body colour, although this is only achieved in adulthood. It has a stout body with a small head and pronounced melon.

The most distinctive features used to identify beluga whales are the white colouration, the bulbous head and the lack of dorsal fin.

In 2018, one of the mammals was spotted swimming in the River Thames off Coalhouse Fort, closer to the Kent side.