Humpback whales have been spotted breaching off the coast of Cornwall, bringing hope of a ‘bumper season’ of sightings for whale watchers in the southwest UK, according to scientists from Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Two whales, an adult and a juvenile, were seen off the Lizard peninsula, the UK’s most southerly point, on 29 November, and spotted again near Penzance, some 20 miles to the north and west, by the local National Coastwatch Institute (NCI) on 1 December.
A group of five individuals was seen by private pilots passing close to Land’s End, the most westerly point of mainland England, on their way to the Isles of Scilly.
‘We were incredibly excited to hear the news, especially when it turned out to be an adult and juvenile spotted together,’ said Abby Crosby, marine conservation officer for Cornwall Wildlife Trust. ‘Only in the last few years have humpback whale sightings been on the rise. Before then, it would’ve been extremely rare to spot one around the UK.’
‘People often don’t realise how incredible our seas are, even in the winter months. It’s magnificent to see these amazing creatures up close. But as always, we’d like to encourage people to put wildlife first, be respectful and keep their distance.’
Humpback whales are most often seen around the UK’s southern coast between December and March. While sightings have been rare over recent decades, more than 75 sightings have been recorded by Cornwall Wildlife Trust since 2019.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust is encouraging members of the public to record marine wildlife sightings via its website and ORKS wildlife sighting app.
