Shetland Community Wildlife Group

Shetland Porpoise Survey

Harbour porpoises, the smallest cetaceans found around Shetland, are a common sight, but much about their behaviour and reasons for gathering here in large groups remains a mystery. Through shore-based surveys, drone filming, and acoustic monitoring, we are gathering vital data to better understand and protect these fascinating marine mammals.

Shetland’s Marine Non-native Species

Non-native species are those which come from elsewhere in the world and have become established here. For a number of years, UHI Shetland has been looking for and keeping records of the marine non-native species that are arriving in Shetland.

Searching for Shetland’s Lost Seagrass

Shetland’s seagrass is in decline with some meadows now thought to have completely disappeared. Whiteness Voe now holds all remaining known records. We will be using drones to collect aerial photos and survey historic records of sites to build an accurate map the remaining meadows. We also want to work with local swimmers and snorkellers to map the size of existing seagrass beds.

Shetland Shark and Skate Eggcase Hunt

Sharks and skates each produce a slightly different eggcase. Once the young have hatched, the empty eggcases will often wash up on the coast. By submitting our sightings of the eggcases we find we can learn more about the species of sharks and skates around the local area. We work in collaboration with The Shark Trust to share records so that the data can help inform local and national datasets.

Shetland Flapper Skate Tagging

We are running a two-year project tagging Europe’s largest skate species, the flapper skate, in the seas around Shetland. This will allow the team to gain a vital insight into the lives of these endangered marine giants.

Shorewatch is a network of dedicated, trained volunteers carrying out 10-minute sea watching surveys around Scotland. Shetland currently has 10 Shorewatch survey sites around the isles from Unst to Sumburgh.

Learning more about marine mammals in Scottish waters is key to helping protect them and increase our understanding of their movements and behaviour.

Contact the Shorewatch team via email at northernisles@shorewatch.org

Find out more about the project and sign up to an upcoming training day on the WDC Shorewatch website