A popular event for orca enthusiasts in the Highlands, Orkney and Shetland will return later this week, a year after it was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Orca Watch will take a different form this year, though, with a majority of the events taking place virtually for people to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes.
A number of exciting talks and presentations will be streamed online between May 29 and June 6 – including a daily round-up of the most interesting sightings and happenings from a small number of volunteers on location.
The week will kick off on Friday with an evening of orca-themed talks by experts, which will also include a prize draw.
That first event will cost £6.50 a ticket, but most of the other sessions will be free to attend for those who have registered through EventBrite by searching ‘Orca Watch Live’.
Event marking tenth year
The event was first held in 2012, after an announcement that underwater sea turbines were potentially going to be installed in the Pentland Firth.
Sea Watch Foundation and their regional coordinator Colin Bird collaborated to educate the public on how cetaceans used the area and the impact the installations could have on them.
The turbines have since been installed, but the Orca Watch event has gone from strength to strength with vital new data being collected every year.
More information about the event can be found on its website here or on the official Facebook page here.