Sea Mammal Watching in Scotland
Watch Scotland’s Bottlenose Dolphins from a Refurbished Lifeboat
Apr 27, 2007
Bottlenose dolphins are usually thought of as warm weather animals of the tropics but the sea off Scotland’s North East coast is home to the some of the biggest bottlenose dolphins anywhere on the planet. .The dolphins are at their most northerly limit here and because of colder seas these mammal are considerably larger. They can be spotted from the shore at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society centre at Spey Bay where information is on hand about all the area’s sea life. However the chances of a sighting of these mammals are far greater from a boat. At Buckie a refurbished lifeboat called the Gemini Explorer runs three trips a day to catch sight of these expressive cetaceans.
Few sights in the wild life world can be more inspiring than watching a leaping or bow riding dolphin. The Buckie boat runs trips under the backing of the Dolphin Space Programme which is not a plan to put dolphins in outer space. It really is programme set up to ensure that dolphins and other marine mammals are not persecuted in any way and that they a given adequate living space in and around our busy seas. These dolphins are about 4metres long and weigh up to 275kg. Like all mammals the breathe air and their nostrils form a blowhole on top of their head.
Prey for dolphins is mainly fish, eels and squid. Salmon is a popular food source and sometimes these animals hunt in groups chasing their prey to the surface of the ocean. They use their sharp teeth to good effect while hunting and have been known to attack the smaller harbour porpoise on occasion. Communicating through a series of clicks and whistling noises they can also use this skill to find food and navigate through the shallower waters that they habitually frequent. The Moray Firth dolphins are classed as endangered and projects like the Dolphin Space Programme are designed to help the mammals by reducing the impact of cetacean watching boats.
All wildlife tour operators in the Moray Firth are encouraged to become members of the programme. These accredited operators work under an approved code of conduct to ensure the minimal disturbance to the animals. Passengers on Dolphin Space Programme accredited boats will know that the welfare of the wildlife will always be put first. The Gemini Explorer is a ex-lifeboat which runs throughout the season. It takes 12 passengers, has state of the art technology for watching the dolphins and there are usually knowledgeable volunteers from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Centre at Spey Bay on hand to answer any questions about these magnificent mammals.
