Get Involved Index
Sponsorship
The lives of whales and dolphins are under threat from the introduction of toxic contaminants into the ecosystem, exposure to marine litter with risk of entanglement and ingestion, boat collisions, noise pollution, and the general damage and degradation of their marine habitat.
Help safeguard a whale or dolphin for future generations for as little as £3.50 per month and receive our sponsorship benefits. Enjoy keeping our whales and dolphins safe by sponsoring for yourself, or as a present for someone you care about.
As a small locally-based organisation we need your support through sponsorship to continue our vital work to conserve whales and dolphins.
By sponsoring a minke whale, bottlenose dolphin or orca you will receive:
- Personalised A4 sponsorship certificate
- Glossy 5’’ x 7’’ colour photograph of your chosen whale or dolphin
- High quality species factsheet and individual cetacean factsheet, both including the most recent information and photo
- The latest edition of HWDT’s newsletter - Wave (or for juniors Wavelet)
- Optional gift, either the HWDT produced 'Sea Kingdom of Argyll' book or a cuddly dolphin
As part of our Photo-Identification project our Sightings Officer uses distinctive nicks and scars on the cetacean to identify individuals. Like a fingerprint each cetacean has its own unique pattern. We have a variety of species and individual cetaceans that need your sponsorship.
Minke Whales
Face: Face was first spotted off the Isle of Mull on the 5th July 1994 – over 10 years ago! Face has a very distinctive dorsal fin, making it an easy identification for the science team to recognise!
Holey: Holey is one of our old favourites and is aptly named thanks to the distinctive hole-shaped nick in its dorsal fin. Holey was one of the first whales to be added to our collection and was first seen way back in 1992.
Nick: Nick is the most frequently seen whale in our collection– he has been sighted 27 times around the Isle of Mull and was first sighted in 1992.
Bottlenose Dolphins
Splash: Splash was first photographed in 2002 in the Sound of Mull. Splash tends to be seen in larger groups of dolphins, usually between 12 and 15 individuals.
Fluke: Fluke was first photographed in 2004 in the Sound of Mull. Fluke is well traveled and has been sighted across a huge part of our survey area.
Killer Whales or Orca
John Coe: John Coe was first photographed in 1992 and has been regularly seen ever since. Due to a large, distinctive notch in his dorsal fin, he is easily identified and is one of the most well known orca in the HWDT catalogue.
Floppy Fin: Floppy Fin was first photographed in 1992 off Mull and has also been regularly sighted. True to his name, his dorsal fin 'flops' over to the left, again making him instantly recognisable.
As a small charity we rely greatly on our supporters, so please sponsor a cetacean today and support the conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoises.