Strandings & Wildlife Watching

Please follow the Links: -
Animals Alive
Animals Dead
Responsible Watching

Live Animals Needing Help

If you come across cetaceans (whales, dolphins & porpoise), seals or any other species which might need assistance please keep your distance. Seals can leave their pups alone for some considerable time. A close encounter could result in a pup being abandoned.

 

Contacts Alive

Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals

 (SSPCA) 03000 999 999

(RSPCA in England & Wales) 0300 1234 999

 

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)

 01825 765 546

Out of hours: 07787 433412

 

Police 999 

If the animal is in distress or danger.

 

Contacts Dead

Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme 

(SMASS)

Hotline  07979 245893 

email: reports@strandings.org 

(N.B. Please ensure that pics and email are less than 2 Mbytes or it will bounce.)

Police, on 101 or use a local number if you can.

 

In England & Wales Environment Agency 0800 807 060 

Highly decomposed bodies can be removed by local councils.

 

More information can be found at: -

UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) 

 

Useful Info.

When you report a stranding, please try to provide the following information:

  • Date found
  • Location (grid reference if possible)
  • Photographs of the carcase
  • Species or description (if you know)
  • Overall length (estimation)
  • Condition of the animal
  • Your contact details

Animals that are in a relatively fresh condition may be 

sampled or collected for necropsy.

 

Wildlife Watching Code

Please follow the links: Marine Code .

Seals are especially vulnerable while they are hauled-out on rocks.

If three or more are looking at you; 

YOU ARE TOO CLOSE!

Please back off slowly and quietly. 

Always keep dogs on leads. 

Seals can bite and may carry pathogens which can mutate. 

 

If you are not sure and it is not an emergency

Please feel free to contact us for advice:

Mobile 07768924841

Contact via Form

Wildlife Watching

Sea kayak: Too Close! To a humpback whale.

Dolphins, whales and seals (while in the water) will approach boats and kayaks when they feel safe. 

Be aware some mammals sleep at the surface and may be unaware of your approach.

Move slowly, on a straight course or stop. 

Do not move towards them, or intercept their course.

Get on
Board 

 Whale
Track
App

Want to get involved? 

Citizen science: - monitoring whales and dolphins on the west coast of Scotland, helping to track movement of coastal species. 

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) have an app for your mobile device.

You can Report a sighting, check out the sightings map and get info. on species ID.

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