A WILDLIFE cruise service in the Hebrides has undertaken research to try and unravel the mysteries of whale migration in Scotland’s former whaling grounds.
Hebrides Cruises has shared the outcomes of its 10-day In Search of Giants cruise trip, which brought together crew, guests, and researchers to locate, identify and document whale populations in areas once heavily impacted by whaling.
Scotland was once home to five domestic whaling stations where fin, sei, right, blue, humpback, sperm and bottlenose whales were all landed between 1903 and 1951.
In total, 501 blue whales were caught, killed and brought ashore mostly to Bunavoneader in Harris during the time of whaling.
The new voyage was aimed at attempting to chart whether populations have recovered and was led by whale scientist Dr Conal Ryan.
Despite facing challenging weather conditions that limited exploration to the continental shelf-edge, the North Minch in the Outer Hebrides offered crew and guests a comprehensive range of sightings.
The team conducted 17 cetacean surveys, recording sightings of 35 groups of common dolphins, 23 groups of harbour porpoises and 10 minke whales.
Notably, the expedition was graced by four separate encounters with humpback whales, involving at least six individuals, and three fin whales, the second heaviest animals on earth.
Photographic data collected during the trip revealed insights into the whales' migratory patterns and ecology.
Humpback whales appeared to have bypassed polar waters, as indicated by the lack of fouling on their skin, while the patterns on the fin whales’ skin suggested they had come from northern regions.
Among the highlights was the re-identification of a well-known humpback named Nick, who has returned to Hebridean waters for the last four years.
“These excursions to the former whaling grounds provide vital information on the number and type of whales in our waters and will help protect them in the future,” said Ryan.
“Bit by bit, we can begin to piece together the migration routes and patterns of these whales as they recover from the impacts of whaling.
“Our ambition is to provide the data that provides more information on these whales in the hope they keep returning to our waters in future, so we can better get to know them and their habits.
“One highlight of the trip was re-identifying the humpback known as Nick.
“Named by the Scottish Humpback Catalogue curator Lyndsey McNeill, who previously matched it to photographs taken in Iceland, this whale has come to the Minch four years in a row, since it was first photographed there in 2021.
“Nick also appears in the global whale catalogue run by Happywhale.
“With access to the Happywhale algorithm and database, we were able to make photo-identification matches for the whales we were seeing in a matter of seconds.”
Tickets for next year’s In Search of Giants cruise sold out within two hours of release.
However, Hebrides Cruises has created a waiting list for those wishing to book a place on a future cruise.
Enquiries can be emailed to emma@hebridescruises.co.uk
