Make the oceans peaceful for whales Many large marine mammals live off the West Coast of Scotland, but none is more gigantic than the whale. Several varieties of the creature can be found in UK waters – Minke, Humpback and Sperm whales have all been sighted in the Hebredean waters. But numbers of some of the most common whales have started to decline in recent years, and the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin trust is committed to research that will uncover the reasons why. There are declining amounts of prey for the whales to feed on in these waters, but they also have other problems. Boat and shipping traffic in the coastal waters where many whales thrive is increasing. There are incidents where whales are bumped into by fast moving boats – which can obviously cause serious injury, even to a creature so large. Some have even been killed. Whales also need to listen to each other under water to communicate – the loud noises from boats can confuse them and even badly damage their ears.  Support Great Whales             Give a one-off charitable gift   Your donation HWDT conduct research on wild dolphins and whales, as well as the state of the seas they live in – vital for effective preservation. They educate and campaign for protection across the country.

Did you know? A humpback whale is the size of a bus! Whales need to come to the surface to breathe. Even though they are very big, most whales eat very small things - krill, plankton and tiny fish! The closest living relative to the whale is the hippo.

The Hebredean Whale and Dolphin Trust is a Scottish Registered Charity (no. SCO22403). Photos by C. Embling and G. Leaper.