Opportunity for Ross-shire young people as Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust opens two free spaces for West Coast-based teenagers to board a Whale Research Expedition in August
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NATURE-loving young people living in Wester Ross are being offered an opportunity to join an exciting expedition in August.
The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT), who monitor Scottish whales, dolphins and porpoises from on board their research vessel, announced that they are delighted to offer two free spaces to young adults living on the west coast of Scotland thanks to sponsorship donations.
Teens aged 16 or 17 and with an interest in the marine environment can now apply to join us the expedition running From August 2 to August 8.
No experience is required and full training will be provided in all aspects of the trip by the four crew members onboard, from identifying different species, to using the toilet at sea.
Morven Summers, HWDTs communications manager, said: “Young people are so engaged with environmental issues and this generous sponsorship will provide a fantastic opportunity to someone to gain hands on experience in conservation. We would encourage any young adult on the west coast with a passion for our seas to apply to join us on board.”
One of the sponsored places on board has been made possible by the Suggitt family, in memory of their son Henry Suggitt, who was was a passionate young conservationist who was due to study zoology with marine biology at Bangor University, but tragically died a week before he was due to start the course.
His mother, Brigette Suggitt, said: “Henry was an extraordinary young man with a zest for life and adventure. Henry’s interests ranged from reptiles to marine life, and he had completed many conservation placements. He had a passion for ensuring that marine life was protected. Henry visited Oban on his grandfather’s boat and absolutely fell in love with that part of the country.”
Anyone with a passion for the marine environment can join HWDT on board to become citizen scientists, participate in a research expedition, and become trained in how to collect important data, which is used to deepen the understanding of the different species found in the Hebrides and help protect them for future generations.
All meals will be provided during the expedition, and the teens will share twin-berth cabins.
Over the last 20 years, with the help of over a thousand people, HWDT have surveyed 130,000 km of Hebridean seas – equivalent of five times around the world.
Over 9,000 hours of underwater recordings have been collected. Over 50,000 individual animals have been observed from almost 16,000 sightings, with a count of 16 different species.
Hundreds of thousands of photographs have been collated, analysed, and catalogued to track individual whales and dolphins across Hebridean seas and better understand population range and social interactions.
The vast volume of data collected on board by citizen scientists over the past 20 years provides a unique and powerful body of knowledge, which is having a real impact for the protection of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks found in the waters off western Scotland.
For more information about this opportunity and to apply, please visit: www.hwdt.org/sponsoredberth or contact morven.summers@hwdt.org
