Here are some things you may not be aware of...
- They’re among the most energetic and acrobatic dolphins in the sea.
- They can gather in superpods numbering in the hundreds — sometimes even thousands!
- They are one of the species ORCA have spotted the most in the past 25 years.
Through long-term collaborations with key shipping partners, we have been able to study how whales and ships interact during close encounters which is critical in reducing vessel strikes!
In-fact, thousands of seafarers have now completed ORCA’s vessel strike mitigation training.
Curious about how to tell your baleen whales from your bottlenose dolphins?
Our Introduction to Whale & Dolphin Identification course gives you the practical knowledge to recognise and identify cetaceans with confidence!
Learn more 👉 orca.org.uk/training/int...
#WhaleWatching #ORCA #ORCACourses
Our mission is simple.
We want to keep oceans alive with whales and dolphins.
And literally anyone can make a difference in whale and dolphin conservation 🌟
#WhaleConservation #ORCA
What else would you like to know about Dusky Dolphins? 🐬
#ORCA #DuskyDolphin
Presence creates impact.
By operating in these regions, we collect vital data on vulnerable populations, raise public awareness and educate visitors to reduce demand for whale products.
Working alongside our partners also gives us a voice; applying pressure through engagement rather than silence!
Our 2026 Sea Safari trips are now live from Plymouth; offering the chance to spot whales and dolphins right on your doorstep.
2026 Dates:
✨ 8–10 July 2026
✨5–7 August 2026
✨26–28 August 2026
Book now 👉 orca.org.uk/get-involved...
#BrittanyFerries #ORCA
Becoming an ORCA member is a simple but powerful way to help protect our oceans and support nearly thirty years of vital marine conservation work!
It also gives you the opportunity to play a meaningful role in safeguarding the marine environment for the future. 🌟
#ORCA #ORCAMember
To take part in surveys, completing the ORCA Marine Mammal Surveyor Course is the first step.
If you’d like to get out on surveys, you’ll also need to become an ORCA member - both when applying and at the time you undertake the survey.
The only other requirement is a polo shirt!
Humpback whales are some of the ocean’s most incredible travellers, migrating thousands of miles each year between feeding and breeding grounds.
Known for their powerful breaches and haunting songs, they can grow up to 16 metres long and weigh around 30 tonnes!
ORCA currently chairs the Antarctic Ambassadorship Committee, part of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO).
It’s a space for people who’ve experienced the Antarctic to stay involved and help protect this incredible environment for the future.
#ORCA
Every day, ORCA’s incredible volunteer community of citizen scientists is out on the ocean, making a real difference.
Together, we’re working towards a better future for whales and dolphins, and it’s closer than you might think 🌟
#ORCA
Looking for a free and easy way to support us?
With Give As You Live, you can raise a donation for us every time you shop online - at no extra cost to you.
Simply sign up, install the free browser extension, and shop as normal at 6,000+ stores. That’s it.
👉 www.giveasyoulive.com/join/orca
Risso’s dolphins are easy to spot up close - born dark grey, they become heavily scarred over time from social interactions and hunting squid, often appearing almost white as adults.
Have you ever seen one?
You can take part in ORCA’s Marine Mammal Surveyor Course from the age of 16.
To join ferry surveys, however, you must be 18 or over.
There’s no upper age limit, but a good level of fitness is important, as surveys are carried out standing for extended periods 🌟
#ORCA #MarineMammalSurveyor
ORCA’s survey work played a vital role in securing a Marine Protected Area (Special Area of Conservation) in the North Sea for harbour porpoises!
Working alongside the JNCC, around 90% of the evidence used to define this protected area came from citizen science programmes.
Experience one of the top five places in the world to see whales and dolphins on an ORCA Sea Safari with Brittany Ferries, crossing the Bay of Biscay in search of incredible marine life!
@brittanyferries
👉 orca.org.uk/get-involved...
#ORCA #SeaSafari
The fin whale is the second largest animal on Earth, reaching up to 27 metres in length.
Sleek and fast, it has a long grey body, a white underside, and distinctive asymmetrical jaw colouring - white on the right and dark grey on the left -which helps with feeding.
#ORCA #FinWhales
By signing up to Give As You Live and installing the free browser extension, you can shop with over 6,000 retailers as normal, and a donation is automatically generated for ORCA when you check out!
It’s quick to set up, easy to use, and costs you nothing!!
www.giveasyoulive.com/join/orca
Written by ORCA patron and renowned wildlife expert Mark Carwardine, this beautifully illustrated guide draws on over 30 years of experience studying and photographing whales, dolphins, and porpoises around the world.
@markcarwardine
👉 orca.org.uk/shop/mark-ca...
Our 2026 Sea Safari trips are now live, departing from Plymouth and Portsmouth and offering an incredible opportunity to see whales and dolphins right on your doorstep!
2026 Dates:
👉 8–10 July 2026
👉 5–7 August 2026
👉 26–28 August 2026
See more orca.org.uk/get-involved...
We support companies in understanding how to watch wildlife responsibly by embedding best practice into their operations.
We also provide a clear framework to help ensure that external operators act in a responsible, ethical way!
Begin with our Introduction to Whale and Dolphin Identification course!
This course is a key first step toward becoming an ORCA OceanWatcher or Marine Mammal Surveyor, or it can be taken on its own if you simply want to deepen your knowledge of these incredible ocean giants. ✨
orca.org.uk/training
Unlike most baleen whales, the gray whale lacks rorqual pleats and instead has a distinctive blunt, triangular-shaped snout with a long, slightly arched mouth line.
Gray whales are also easily recognised by their grey, mottled bodies, marbled with pale scars and often covered in barnacles!
Did you know that over a third of all whale, dolphin, and porpoise species worldwide can be found in UK and European waters?
From coastal sightings to offshore encounters, our seas are home to an incredible diversity of marine life, making them exciting waters for cetacean spotting!
It’s ordinary people like you who make what we do possible.
Our mission is simple: oceans alive with whales and dolphins. And anyone can help make that happen. ORCA gives people the chance to turn care into action.
Our work is global, and our evidence drives real change!
The Introduction to Whale and Dolphin Identification course!
It gives you the core skills to recognise species in the Northeast Atlantic , plus expert tips from professional whale watchers – so you can confidently tell your harbour porpoise from your humpback whale.
👉 orca.org.uk/training/int...
Get all the latest updates, reports, and findings direct your inbox!
You can sign up here 👉 orca.org.uk/newsletter
A new report has shown that England is falling behind on its legally binding environmental targets, with 2030 fast approaching.
Right now, UK seas meet just 2 of 15 measures of good environmental health, so stronger protection in Marine Protected Areas is essential!
The harbour porpoise is the smallest cetacean and the only porpoise found in European waters!
Sadly, numbers have fallen across Europe due to pollution, noise, heavy boat traffic and overfishing - but the biggest threat is getting caught in fishing nets.
