Words by Amy Hargreaves
Whales, dolphins and porpoises are some of the most recognisable animals in our oceans, yet many of the threats they face are hard to see. Fishing, underwater noise, pollution, boat traffic and climate change all put pressure on these cetaceans (the group of marine mammals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises), disrupting the habitats and food webs they rely on.
Protecting them is especially difficult because they rarely stay put. Cetaceans travel vast distances between feeding grounds, breeding areas and migration routes, so conservation must reach far beyond a single stretch of coastline.
That is why research matters so much. Scientists use photo-identification (recognising individuals from the markings on their fins), acoustic monitoring, satellite tracking and environmental DNA (traces of genetic material animals leave in the water) to learn where animals go and how populations are changing. Even a single photo of a dorsal fin can feed into years of data.
Behind the scenes in northeast Scotland
This summer, I joined the Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit’s (CRRU) field programme in northeast Scotland. CRRU is a charity combining scientific research, education and marine wildlife rescue. It has studied cetaceans in the region for decades, including a population of more than 200 bottlenose dolphins living right here on Scotland’s northeast coast. It also runs the only specialist team of marine mammal scientists in northeast Scotland responding to live strandings, with staff and volunteers on call 24 hours a day.
The scale of that work is striking. Between 1999 and 2023, CRRU responded to at least 71 live cetaceans, 16 injured or trapped cetaceans and 244 dead animals, alongside hundreds of other wildlife casualties.
Learning about stranding assessment, first aid, and refloatation showed me how complicated a rescue can be. A stranded dolphin can’t simply be pushed back into the water: its health, behaviour and condition all need assessing first, and any attempt to refloat it must be carefully managed.
From rescue to research
What impressed me most, was that CRRU’s work doesn’t end when a rescue does. The charity also studies population dynamics, environmental pressures, and the causes of strandings, and its research feeds into conservation strategies and the development of Marine Protected Areas.
That link matters. A rescue helps one animal, but long-term conservation means reducing the pressures that put marine mammals at risk in the first place. Marine Protected Areas can help by safeguarding feeding and breeding habitats, but a line on a map isn’t enough. Fishing, shipping, offshore development and noise still need to be managed properly.
Bycatch, when cetaceans are accidentally caught in fishing gear, can injure or kill them, while underwater noise can drown out the sounds they use to communicate, navigate and find prey. Climate change adds another challenge by shifting ocean conditions and the prey marine mammals depend on.
How you can help
You don’t need to be a marine biologist to make a difference. If you find a stranded whale, dolphin or porpoise, keep your distance, keep dogs away, don’t try to push it back into the sea, and report it straight away to a rescue organisation such as CRRU or British Divers Marine Life Rescue. You can also volunteer, support local marine charities, or share your sightings with local research groups.
More than a single action
My time with CRRU showed me that conservation isn’t one action but many researchers collecting data, rescue teams responding to animals in distress, and communities caring about their local waters. Protecting marine mammals isn’t just about saving a dolphin when something goes wrong. It’s about understanding these animals well enough to protect their seas, ideally before a rescue is ever needed.
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