The seas around the UK are home to a surprising variety of sharks and cetaceans (marine mammals including whales, dolphins and porpoises). While some are found here all year round, others only visit during warmer months, so summer is the ideal time to visit the coast if you’d like to see them for yourself.
What to spot – and where
We’ve picked out 11 hotspots around the UK where whales and cetaceans are often spotted, along with some helpful ID tips for eight commonly spotted species.
Minke whale
The minke whale grows to around 10 metres and travels more slowly than dolphins. Look for its nose – or rostrum – breaking the surface of the water, then its back slowly rolling through the waves as it dives. It visits UK waters every summer.
Harbour porpoise
Our smallest cetacean is normally seen only briefly when it surfaces to breathe. Its stocky body looks like a tyre rolling through the water with a small triangular fin on top. It’s so shy it avoids boats, so look for it close to shore in shallower waters.
Risso’s dolphin
This shy but playful dolphin is usually only seen in deeper waters offshore. Adults are often lighter grey than other dolphins, with pale scratches on their bodies from fighting and trying to catch squid. They like to leap out of the water and slap their tails on the surface.
Orca
Also known as killer whales, orcas are actually a type of large dolphin. Their large size, black-and-white markings and enormous dorsal fins are very distinctive. They’re most often seen in family groups. They’re intelligent and can be inquisitive.
Common dolphin
Common dolphins are easily recognised by the creamy yellow hourglass pattern on their sides. They’re usually seen in large, active, playful groups of up to 1,000 individuals. Even from a distance, all their leaping and splashing gives their presence away.
Bottlenose dolphin
Scotland’s bottlenoses are
among the biggest in the world. They’re very playful and often breach, leaping clear of the water. They also do something called porpoising, when they quickly leap in and out of the water in short, shallow arcs.
Basking shark
Look for this gentle giant from cliffs in summer when it arrives here to feed. It’s huge, reaching up to 11 metres long – the size of a London bus. As it swims slowly near the surface with its vast mouth open, its dorsal fin and often the tip of its nose and tail fin can be seen.
White-beaked dolphin
This sociable dolphin is usually seen in groups. It’s very acrobatic, often leaping out of the water and approaching boats to ride the bow wave. Look for a large, stocky dolphin with a white beak and flashes on its sides. They come close to shore here in summer.
ILLUSTRATIONS: © ANDY ROBERT DAVIES | IMAGE: © GETTY
Help watch our whales
Can you help the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust spot whales and dolphins off the west coast of Scotland? If you see a cetacean, use the Whale Track app or report your sighting online to help follow bottlenose dolphins and uncover the mysteries of rare visitors such as orcas.
More to explore
Seeds of hope
One incredible plant species could boost biodiversity, help human livelihoods and play a role in fighting the climate emergency. That’s why we’ve launched the biggest project of its kind in the UK – to restore seagrass
