Scientists Seek Public Photos to Help Study Scotland's Mysterious Risso's Dolphins

Researchers are launching an urgent appeal for wildlife photographers, tour operators, and nature enthusiasts to share their photographs of Risso's dolphins spotted around Scotland's northern waters. The collaborative project with the University of the Highlands and Islands aims to unlock the secrets of these distinctive yet poorly understood marine mammals. Risso's dolphins stand out in Scottish waters with their towering dorsal fins and battle-scarred, pale grey bodies that tell stories of deep-sea adventures. Each individual carries a unique collection of nicks, notches, and scars on their dorsal fin—nature's own fingerprint system that allows scientists to identify and track individual dolphins throughout their lives. This photo-identification technique helps researchers estimate population sizes, monitor migration patterns, and understand long-term behavioral trends. Despite being regularly observed around Shetland, Orkney, and northeast Scotland, Risso's dolphins remain one of the ocean's enigmas. The research team welcomes any photographs—whether recent snapshots or decades-old images—that capture these remarkable creatures in Scottish waters. Even blurry shots can provide valuable data, as researchers need complete documentation of dolphin encounters to understand group dynamics and social structures. Photographers are encouraged to submit unedited images showing the dolphins' dorsal fins, along with details about sighting locations, dates, and estimated group sizes. This citizen science initiative represents a crucial opportunity for the public to directly contribute to marine conservation efforts and help ensure the protection of Scotland's Risso's dolphin populations for future generations.