Orca Watch 2024: Call for wildlife-spotters in Scotland for annual whale and dolphin survey

This year’s Orca Watch is due to kick off shortly in the north of Scotland, with wildlife enthusiasts flocking from all over the country – and further afield – in the hope of spotting killer whales and other ocean animals.

Organised by Sea Watch Foundation, the ten-day event is expected to attract scores of conservation volunteers, tourists and citizen scientists to take part in land-watches, boat trips and local events to log sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises – with a particular focus on orcas, the biggest member of the dolphin family of toothed whales.

Spotters will be positioned on land and sea across Caithness, north Sutherland, Orkney and Shetland.

More than 260 sightings of at least seven marine mammal species were recorded in last year’s surveys, including orcas, harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, minke whales, grey seals and harbour seals.

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There were a total of 56 orca sightings, with two pods successfully identified using individual recognition features. The data collected has helped provide a more complete picture of the distribution, abundance, and behaviour of marine mammals in the region.

Sea Watch Foundation was set up in 1991 by Professor Peter Evans and now has a national database of more than 250,000 sightings dating back to 1960, contributing to UK marine policy, conservation, education and research.

Orca Watch, launched by the charity Sea Watch Foundation in 2012, will take place in the north of Scotland from 25 May to 2 June – with keen-eyed spotters based on land and in boats, logging any dolphins, whales, porpoises and seals they see

Orca Watch 2024 formally begins on May 25, with a varied programme of related events taking place throughout. And for those unable to attend in person, there will be opportunities to take part in some events online via livestreaming.