Wildlife Safari

The following list tells you about the seals, dolphins, porpoises and whales that can be found in the waters around the Hebrides. To find out how best to spot these beautiful mammals, click here....

Common Seal

The most frequently spotted of all our marine friends, these animals crowd the harbours and follow fishing boats and sailing crafts hoping for scraps. They have a short muzzle and vary in colour from brown to black with a mottled back. They are very curious and their heads will often pop up to see who is on the shore or in the water. They have puppy like eyes with a snub nose. The Outer Hebrides has 10% of the European population of Scottish Common Seals.

Grey Seal

The "grey" seal can be up to 2.5m long and as well as grey can be black or brown in colour. Often seen sleeping on rocks and sand or quietly observing activity with their head above water. The Outer Hebrides has one of the two major grey seal concentrations in Scotland - over 40% of the world population. They breed on offshore Islands such as Shillay and the Monachs but can be seen all around the coast and in ports looking for food and lazing around.

Common Dolphin

The common dolphin is around 1.5-2.5m long, with the distinctive pattern of whitish oblong shape on both sides of the body becoming pale grey behind the dorsal, which can be either curved or straight. The common dolphin is a keen, active swimmer, often leaping right out of the water. Most likely spotted May to September.

Harbour Porpoise

The harbour porpoise is a lot smaller than a dolphin, less than 2 metres long. They have a dark grey back, and a small fin. They are quite shy and easy to miss, but you have the best chance of spotting them around headlands and estuaries around the coast, especially Broadbay in Lewis and the Sound of Barra.

Killer Whale

The Killer Whale or Orca can be a massive 10 metres in length, and have a distinct white and black pattern, with white eye patches and a very tall dorsal fin (it can be almost 2 metres tall!) Despite the foreboding name, they are curious and playful, often jumping right out of the water like the common dolphin. They can be spotted along the west coast in areas like West Loch Roag. Surfers and kayakers around the islands have reported seeing these whales in the water beside them!

Risso Dolphin

Risso dolphins look a little medieval with a squarish head and no beak! Longer than the common dolphin, they can be up to 4 metres in length, and are grey, but the colouring fades with age: their fin is curved and dark. The Risso is a very animated dolphin and can be seen in the islands between spring and autumn.

White Beaked Dolphin

As the name suggests this Dolphin has a short white beak! Less than 3 metres long, the White Beaked Dolphin's body is dark grey with a white or light grey stripe stretching from its front to behind the dorsal, which is thick and curved.

Bottlenose Dolphin

The Bottlenose are very friendly dolphins with dark grey bodies and white undersides, up to 4 metres long. They have a short, cute 'dolphin' beak and a classic, curved 'dolphin' fin. You can see them all year round in the Hebrides, most notably in summer.

Minke Whale

The Minke Whale has a pointed head and a small thick , curved fin towards the tail, with a dark grey upper body and pale underside. At up to 10 metres long, these whales are amazingly graceful, with their tails unseen below the water. There is a white band on the flippers if you get close enough to spot them! They can be seen in coastal waters from Spring to Autumn.

Atlantic White-sided Dolphin

The Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin is less than three metres long, and is black backed with a yellowish band on its sides and a distinctive white stripe below the dorsal, which is curved and large. They are fast swimmers and most commonly found offshore, but can be spotted around the coast in summertime and early autumn.

Striped Dolphin

The Striped Dolphin has two dark stripes: one from the eye to the flipper, and one from the eye to the tail area. At less than 2.5 metres long, they are dark grey on the back with light grey on the sides, with a thin, curved fin. You are more likely to spot these dolphins in deeper waters, so look out for them when you are on the ferry or boating around the Hebrides: they are very entertaining to watch!

Long Finned Pilot Whale

Less than 6m in length these whales are quite common in the Minch. The head is rounded and blunt with no beak; the body is fat with a long curved dorsal which hooks back at the end. The skin is dark except for a very thin white underside which is visible on the chin, flippers are long and pointed. Slow movers, the Pilot Whale venture quite close to the coast.

Basking Shark

Sharks are actually quite common around the islands and this region was once a prime hunting ground for shark hunters. The Basking Shark is actually a fish, and a vegetarian at that, with no teeth!! Growing up to 10 metres in length it appears almost black but is usually slate grey. The Basking Shark has two fins above water: a large distinctive thick triangular fin on its back as well as a vertical tail fin, that you can see swooshing from side to side. As a filter feeder the Basking Shark has an incredibly large mouth that it opens wide when feeding. If you are close enough you may see its nose (or snout) appearing out of the water when feeding! You can spot Basking Sharks around the Hebridean coastline and in bays, especially during the summer.