Welcome to the Shetland Community Wildlife Group (SCWG). The SCWG is a citizen science project set up by the Marine Spatial Planning Team at UHI Shetland using National Lottery Heritage funding to bring people together from all walks of life who have an appreciation for Shetland and want to help collect valuable data about all aspects of Shetland’s natural environment. This data will help fill knowledge gaps and increase our understanding of the species and habitats in Shetland.
Shetland offers such a variety of natural heritage right on our doorstep from the mountain hare in its winter fur and harbour seals frolicking on the shore, right down to the tiny insects in our gardens. Each and every creature and habitat are valuable to our local communities, industries and culture.
Featured Projects…
Shetland Porpoise Survey
Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) are the smallest of the cetaceans to be spotted around Shetland. They are generally shy creatures and do not often approach boats but can be easily spotted from the shore. They are regularly spotted in Shetland waters in small groups and sometimes in large aggregations that are not…
Shetland Flapper Skate Tagging Project
The Marine Science team at UHI Shetland were recently successful in securing funding from the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF) to run a two-year project tagging Europe’s largest skate species, the flapper skate, in the seas around Shetland…
Latest articles…
Species on the Edge Youth Panel- BEE INVOLVED!
Is Shetland and its species special to you? Do you want the opportunity to develop your own skills, knowledge, and confidence and to inspire others to take action? Are you…
Shetland Porpoises in the Spotlight: volunteers and drone footage give new insight into porpoise behaviour
Our brilliant volunteers have now been completing surveys for Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) since September 2021 at dedicated survey sites in Quendale Bay, Mousa Sound and South Nesting Bay as…
Shetland’s Marine Meadows
Under our shallow seas are hidden meadows of grass, these seagrasses play important ecological roles in marine ecosystems. But more recently, these unassuming plants of the sea have been noticed…
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