Well-known west coast whales return to our waters
Knobble, photographed by Andy Tait in 2024
In recent weeks, well known minke whales – Knobble and Kasey – have been spotted in the Hebrides. Their sightings are a powerful reminder of how vital these waters are for minke whales, and how long-term monitoring is key to understanding them.
Scotland’s west coast seas are an important area for minke whales, with animals migrating to our waters each summer to feed. The data gathered by the Whale Track community and on board our dedicated research vessel, Silurian, is deepening our understanding of minke whales and the life histories of some individuals, such as Knobble and Kasey.
KNOBBLE
Knobble is the most frequently encountered individual in our Minke Whale Catalogue, with over 60 documented sightings since 2002. This individual is typically observed in the waters surrounding Mull during the summer months, particularly in July and August.
Knobble is a local celebrity with a dedicated song on YouTube, stars in a children’s book and even has a Facebook page!
The most recent encounter was recorded last week aboard Silurian. Students from the University of St Andrews Sea Mammal Research Unit were on board to learn about our survey methodology and gain first-hand experience in data collection techniques, and were treated to a special encounter with Knobble!
Knobble, recorded off Coll from onboard Silurian
Despite the frequency of sightings, there is still much we need to learn about whales like Knobble, such as whether the whale is male or female, or where Knobble goes in the winter.
KASEY
Kasey is another regular visitor to the waters around Mull and takes the top spot alongside Knobble as the whale recorded in the most years. First recorded in August 2000, Kasey has been seen 38 times between 2000 and 2020 in 16 different years.
Kasey was recorded last week by Andy Tait – a citizen science champion – during a trip with a local tour operator, Sea Life Mull, and reported through our app, Whale Track.
Kasey, photographed by Andy Tait on 27 May between Mull, Ardnamurchan and Coll
Distinctive dorsal fin characteristics – specifically, three large notches on the trailing edge – make Kasey readily identifiable. However, Kasey’s dorsal has developed over time, (with an additional notch developing after the first year of observation). When they were/she was first seen in 2000, there were just the upper two large notches in the fin with the third appearing the following year.
Kasey, photographed by Sea Life Surveys in 2000
The return of some individuals, year after year, highlights the importance of the area to this species. These data are now being analysed in more detail to learn more about the site fidelity of minke whales on the west coast and identify any specific areas of importance.
PHOTO-ID
Photo-identification (photo-ID) is a key tool for long-term monitoring. This non-invasive research method uses high-resolution images of natural markings to identify and re-sight individual animals across time and space.
Between 1990 and 2020, HWDT has identified more than 300 individual minke whales in the Hebrides – all documented in our Minke Whale Catalogue. A third (33%) of these whales have been seen more than once - some over many years and others numerous times.
(HOW) YOU CAN HELP
Help deepen the understanding of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks in Scottish seas, by reporting sightings via our app, Whale Track. Photographs are a powerful tool helping to better understand whales and dolphins. They are fundamental to our understanding of cetaceans, both on an individual and population level. The Whale Track app has a photo portal built-in, so if you manage to take a photo please send it in.
Kasey and Knobble both feature in our sponsorship scheme, which helps us monitor these precious whales. Sponsoring a whale is a great way to support marine conservation work throughout the year – which one will you choose?