About the dolphins
There are about 130 bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth population. We know quite a bit about them as WDCS has been funding research through the Aberdeen University Lighthouse Field Station at Cromarty since 1993 as well as conducting its own surveys in the outer Moray Firth and shore based research from the WDCS Wildlife Centre and Chanonry Point.
A population containing only around 130 animals is small and vulnerable. In addition, this population is an isolated group; the only surviving population of its kind in the North Sea and one of only two resident bottlenose dolphin populations around the UK for which protection has been established.
Like many highly evolved animals dolphins are long lived and slow breeding. Although we have been studying this population of dolphins for almost 15 years their status remains unclear. The latest science shows us that this population is more likely to be declining than increasing, but this is difficult to confirm as the range of the animals has also changed somewhat.
Why do the dolphins live in the Moray Firth?
Whilst some animals remain in the inner Moray Firth all year round, others regularly travel south towards Aberdeen, the Tay and the Firth of Forth. Movements are likely to be related to prey, although the possibility that these movements are related to decline in enviromental conditions cannot be ruled out.
This is largely a coastal population, however bottlenose dolphins are also seen in deeper waters in the outer Moray Firth, and overall little survey effort has been undertaken in offshore waters. Inevitably, as a coastal population these dolphins interact with the activities of people. Whilst recognising that development can and will occur, WDCS believes that such activities need to consider the populations of dolphins. It is important that we protect them. Our natural heritage – including animals such as dolphins – is important and we should take care of it for generations to come.
Are they the only dolphins in the Moray Firth?
The Moray Firth is visited by many different species of whale and dolphin and is also home to a great variety of other marine wildlife such as basking sharks, otters, ospreys and seals. A core component of WDCS’s campaign is the boat-based field research we are undertaking in the outer Moray Firth. This will give us a much better understanding of the seasonal habitat use of the whales and dolphins and other marine life of the Firth.