Scottish dolphins update

This video is called Bottlenose Dolphins.

From Wildlife Extra:

Moray Firth dolphins appearing in Firth of Forth this summer

Dolphins are among east Lothian sun-seekers

July 2013. Local families and visitors haven’t been the only ones enjoying the seaside sunshine at the coastal town of North Berwick at the weekend. Local resident Peter Dollive set sail on a lunchtime seabird cruise from the award winning Scottish Seabird Centre to see the many seabirds that make the Firth of Forth their home at this time of year, and spotted a pod of dolphins just off the Bass Rock.

Peter, a member of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said : ‘I was having had a wonderful time on the Seabird catamaran around the Bass Rock using my new camera system. The icing on the cake was to see the dolphins so close-up, especially I was unaware you could see them off North Berwick. When the captain spotted them and slowed down, I just aimed and fired hoping to get at least one shot. It was fantastic to be so close and see then moving so gracefully through the water – and capture them on film as well – a real thrill!’

Moray Firth dolphins

Erich Hoyt, Research Fellow with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and author of the new book ‘Weird Sea Creatures‘, said: “Bottlenose dolphins swim into the Firth of Forth from time to time. The dolphins seen on Sunday near the Bass Rock are most probably part of the northeast Scotland population of about 130 animals that spend most of their time in and around the Moray Firth. Over the past decade, their appearances in the Firth of Forth have often occurred during a spot of very warm weather. Also, when they have come to this area, they will often stay in the area for a few days. One of the best lookouts is from the Scottish Seabird Centre, but it will be worth keeping an eye out on both the south and north shores of the Forth over the next few days.’

Identifiable dolphins

Eric was able to identify a number of dolphins in the group based on previous studies. He explained: ‘There were at least six different bottlenose dolphins in this group, consisting mostly of mothers and older calves. One is Runny Paint, a well-known dolphin from northeast Scotland, last seen and photographed at Milsey Bay, North Berwick in early November 2008. She’s a distinctive mature female dolphin with white skin lesions on her dorsal fin. She was accompanied by at least five travelling companions, including what looks like her nine-year-old calf Paint Splotch. Others in the group appear to be Chips who was last seen with a newborn calf in 2010, Pilot, an older female first seen in the Moray Firth in 1990, and Pizza, first seen in the same area in 1991.’

Scottish Seabird Centre Chief Executive Tom Brock added: ‘July is one of the best months to spot thousands of seabirds including puffins and gannets nesting on the Forth islands, but the latest sighting of dolphins by Peter demonstrates that there is other amazing wildlife to see as well. In addition to our live interactive cameras we’ve just installed some brand new powerful telescopes in our Discovery Centre so that visitors can scan the horizon and see incredible wildlife close up. Hopefully we will see Runny Paint, Paint Splosh, Pilot, Pizza and Chips again very soon!’

Any further sightings of dolphins in the area should be reported to the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick on 01620 890202.

A population of around 130 bottlenose dolphins lives in Scotland’s Moray Firth. This small, isolated group is extremely vulnerable. In recognition of their special status and vulnerability, part of the Moray Firth was designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for bottlenose dolphins in 2005, one of only two such protected areas in the UK. When first considered for protection, most sightings of this dolphin population were within the SAC.

The SAC now only covers a percentage of the area the dolphins make their home. While some of the dolphins seem to spend their time within the SAC, others range along the coast of the Moray Firth to Aberdeen, Tay, the Firth of Forth and likely beyond.

The Scottish Seabird Centre is a community-based independent charity, committed to increasing the awareness, appreciation and care of the natural environment. It contributes over £2million annually to the local economy and supports over 70 jobs.

Common dolphin pod spotted off Cornish coast: here.

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