The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust believes that record numbers of minke whales were sighted off Scotland’s west coast due to a minke Whale baby boom. The Trust’s marine research expeditions recorded an increase in sightings than any other season. According to the Trust, there could be two reasons why this number has increased: There have been many more babies of mink whale calves. 2. An influx of minke Whales (Balaenoptera alcutorostrata), has occurred from someplace. The charity also saw a record number of dolphin sightings during 2015 the research season. 723 individuals dolphins were seen over 63 encounters. Is minke whales more prolific or is there another reason for the high number of sightings? (Photo: wildwhales.org). The common dolphin used to be rare in the Hebrides. The Trust has had more encounters with this species in the past 12 year than 100%.. It is not clear why. The monitoring of cetaceans should continue Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust Biodiversity officer, Kerry Froud said that “These fascinating changes in Scotland’s marine life highlights the importance of long term monitoring of *cetaceans” *Cetaceans is a fully-aquatic marine mammal such as the whale, porpoise, and dolphin. Between May and October, scientists and volunteers conducted studies on the Trust’s research vessel Silurian. This research is part of the Trust’s ongoing monitoring of Cetaceans in Hebrides. They also collect data about basking sharks during their surveys. Since 2011,, encounters with juvenile minke whales has been increasing steadily. This trend continued to the point that they increased sharply in 2015.. Researchers found that minke whale encounters were at a rate of one per 286km, which is triple the Trust’s average. Silurian is the boat used by scientists to search for dolphins and whales. (Image: whaledolphintrust.co.uk) The minke whale The minke whale, also called the Lesser Rorqual, is the smallest of all baleen whales. Baleen whales eat with baleen plates and not their teeth. They can grow up to 10 metres in length and feed in the North Atlantic. The most common baleen whales to be seen off the UK’s coast are minke whales. There is an ID catalogue that the Trust maintains of 125 minke whales from different locations. While some of the minke whales return each year to the same area, others appear to be transiting through. Although the number of minke whales in the area is increasing, conservation issues remain. The number of common dolphin sightings has also increased significantly. (Image: www.whaledolphintrust.co.uk) Mink whales hunted further north Norway and Iceland, which are not far from Scotland, still hunt minke whales. Scientists at the Trust don’t know if mink whales who swim in Scottish waters are more likely to be hunted. An unprecedented amount of dolphin sightings combined with the rare sightings of mink whales off Tromso, Norway, in September, suggest that there are changes taking place in our seas and oceans. According to the Trust, it is still not clear what causes or how they affect marine life and their environment. It is important to continue research. Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust stated on their website that: “Alongside climate change and warming seas, humans are causing increased stress on cetaceans and basking Sharks.” The trust works with other UK researchers to understand the problem and is currently working in collaboration with the UK fishing industry. Ironically, this year, while the Silurian crew celebrated a volunteer’s th Birthday, a group of balloons were retrieved from the sea. This is a reminder that even though they are marketed as biodegradable, celebratory balloons can cause lasting effects on our environment. Video – Meet minke Whales
