During 2024, 11,039 sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises, and other marine life were reported to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) by members of the public, or citizen scientists. Over 65,000 animals have been sighted in Scottish waters, from 17 different species.

The data was collected during research expeditions run by the Trust and by people reporting what they’ve spotted through their community sightings network, Whale Track.

HWDT is a marine conservation charity which harnesses the power of citizen science to gather data. For thirty years people have been driving the Trust’s conservation efforts forward by getting involved with their citizen science initiatives. Over that time, a massive amount of data has been gathered which is used to better understand and protect species in Scotland’s seas.