The ferry route between Penzance and St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles has once again been named the highest diversity crossing for wildlife spotting in UK waters. ORCA survey teams on board the Scillonian III vessel recorded 347 animals from seven different marine species during the 2024 season, including common dolphins, Risso's dolphins, minke whales and sunfish.
ORCA Marine Mammal Surveyors conducted 15 surveys on the route between March and November 2024 covering a distance of 1,868 km (1,160 miles).
Common dolphins were the species recorded most frequently, with 262 animals seen throughout the year and recorded on almost every survey.
Interestingly, although we undertook fewer surveys on the route during 2023, we recorded almost twice as many (645) animals compared to the current 2024 season, including whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals. This underlines the importance of ongoing monitoring, which can identify these fluctuating trends.
The story was picked up by the BBC and can be seen online here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6273nqdpvpo
The only way we can protect whales and dolphins is by understanding their distribution, and so monitoring is vital for effective conservation. Donate today to help ORCA continue to identify and study important whale hotspots around the world by visiting www.orca.org.uk/donate