In October, ORCA Ocean Conservationists Amy and Jacqui joined Fred. Olsen’s In Search of the Northern Lights cruise, discovering that even without sighting large whales, Norway offers endless wonder - from harbour porpoises and sea eagles to the aurora glowing above the ship. Their experience shows how every sighting helps inspire ocean conservation...
Our voyage was filled with wildlife encounters: grey seals resting surprisingly far from land, gannets diving with precision, and a dramatic moment when a sea eagle and a golden eagle clashed mid-air. Although we hoped to encounter some of Norway’s larger whales, the voyage gave us a different kind of magic - a chance to slow down, look closely and appreciate the wildlife that often slips by unnoticed.
Harbour Porpoises: Norway’s Quiet Coastal Cetaceans
One of the highlights of the trip was spotting harbour porpoises surfacing close to the bow of the ship. Their small triangular dorsal fins appeared and disappeared in seconds, rewarding patient watchers. Despite being one of Europe’s most widespread cetaceans, harbour porpoises are notoriously shy, and every sighting feels special.
They play a vital role in Norway’s coastal food webs, helping to regulate fish populations. Yet they face increasing challenges, especially bycatch in gillnets, which remains the biggest threat to porpoise populations worldwide. Underwater noise, pollution and habitat disturbance are additional pressures. Each porpoise we logged reminded us why ORCA’s monitoring work is so essential, especially in biologically rich but vulnerable waters like these.
Cetaceans in Norwegian Waters: Abundance and Responsibility
Norwegian seas host a remarkable variety of cetaceans including humpbacks, orcas, sperm whales, minke whales and white-beaked dolphins. Their presence supports the entire ocean ecosystem. Large whales help cycle nutrients, promote plankton growth and influence carbon storage through the “whale pump.” Protecting cetaceans isn’t only about the animals themselves, it’s about maintaining the ocean’s long-term resilience.
Even without seeing large whales on this voyage, we were continually aware of their significance. Every sighting recorded, even a single porpoise, contributes to a larger understanding of ocean health, species distribution and the impacts of climate and human activity.
Citizen science is at the heart of everything we do and this year we have made it even easier to get involved in whale and dolphin conservation with our e-learning courses. These courses are the perfect introduction to the world beneath the waves and will teach you everything you need to know about spotting, identifying and record vital scientific data on these incredible animals so that you too can help ORCA's conservation work.