Dolphin and Whale Sightings

Visitors have been enthralled and wildlife experts baffled during the last year by sightings of a wide variety of whales and dolphins in the Firth of Forth. More than 100 sightings were reported in a 3 month period earlier in the year, attracting the attention of national press and radio. Sightings included several of killer whales, a fin whale, at up to 100 feet long, the second largest animal in the world (after the blue whale), spotted just off Craigleith Island, humpback whale, pilot and minke whales, bottlenose dolphins and Risso's dolphins.

The Seabird Centre is an official Seawatch Foundation watching site and many sightings have been made or reported from the Centre since it opened in 2000, making it an important link for Seawatch and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS). We are co-ordinating sightings with the Scottish Green Party, WDCS, Seawatch and Scottish Natural Heritage to provide more accurate information. Please call the Scottish Green Party's Hotline on 0131 348 6427 or the Scottish Seabird Centre on 01620 890202 or email us on info@seabird.org.

When you contact us, if possible, it would be helpful to know the time, the place, numbers, the species, any calves, the behaviour, for example were they swimming (which direction?), fishing, playing. If you happen to be lucky to be close enough to get a photo, it would be helpful if you could try to include the dorsal fin as this is the equivalent to a human thumbprint and can help us to identify individuals.