Dolphins
& Seals of the Moray Firth
Tourist Information Centre Grounds
North Kessock
Ross and Cromarty IV1 1XB
Telephone UK: 01463 731866
Telephone non UK: +44 1463 731866
A unique opportunity to listen in to
the mysterious undersea world of dolphins and seals in the Moray Firth
near Inverness. Discover how dolphins 'talk to each other' and how
they use echo location to navigate and hunt for food. The visitor
centre offers:
an excellent viewpoint with binoculars to
view the Moray Firth;
shop
video footage of local dolphins
children's activities
exhibition
and staff who can help and provide information.
The Moray Firth Dolphins are important
because there are only two or three known resident populations along
the British coastline, the others being at Cardigan Bay and around the
Cornish coast. The Moray Firth dolphins are the only known resident
population remaining in the North Sea. Researchers from Aberdeen
University have now identified over 130 individual animals. The
dolphins found in British waters are among the largest in the world,
measuring up to 4 metres in length. The Moray Firth Area offers some
of the best opportunities to observe dolphins anywhere in Europe.
Located in the North Kessock Tourist Information Centre car park, the Dolphins
and Seals of the Moray Firth Visitor Centre just 2 miles
north of Inverness on the A9 road.
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Watch
the Dolphins
The Dolphin and Seal Centre has a magnificent view of the Moray Firth.
Pick up a set of binoculars and spot one of the 130 individual animals
or the many seals in the Firth. Minke Whales can sometimes be seen in
the Moray Firth between August and October. The toothed whales are
represented in the Moray Firth by bottlenose dolphin, white-beaked
dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, common dolphin, Risso's dolphin
and harbour porpoise. Of these the bottlenose dolphin and the harbour
porpoise are by far the most common.
Two species of seal, the common or harbour seal and the grey or
Atlantic seal are also visitors to the Firth. The harbour porpoise is
more difficult to see than the bottlenose dolphin because they do not
usually leap out of the water, instead they just break the surface
when they come up to breathe.
Listen to the Sounds
Underwater microphones (hydrophones) pick up dolphin, seal and other
underwater sounds and relay them to amplifiers in the Centre. Put on a
set of headphones and you can tune in to this undiscovered world.
Activities to Enjoy
Learn about the marine environment of the dolphins and seals and the
impact of human activities on that environment. Look on the bulletin
board for up to the minute research information.
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