We’re incredibly fortunate to have been chartered by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (University of St Andrews) to assist them with their ongoing study of bottlenose dolphins along the coast of Yorkshire, County Durham and Tyne and Wear.
This project focuses on individual bottlenose dolphins and is an extension of a project that has been running in Scotland since the 1980s. There are currently over 200 different individuals in their database, some of which we are now seeing along the north England coastline!
Throughout July, August and September, we’re using our RIB ‘Mary Olwen’ to search for, and photograph, these magnificent animals. By identifying individuals, their locations and behavioural patterns, the research team are building a fascinating picture of how they live, which in turn will feed into conservation efforts and ensure that they are protected. It’s extremely rare to have an opportunity like this as, under normal circumstances, boats are not allowed to approach within 100m of marine wildlife. The research team are operating under an MMO Wildlife licence, which allows us to approach the animals in a safe and responsible manner for the purposes of research.