Over 500 marine mammals were spotted from Cal Mac ferries across the west coast this summer.
A team of more than 60 wildlife enthusiasts compiled surveys and tracked different species on various sea routes as part of the company’s marine awareness programme.
The scheme involved 14 conservation bodies who have partnered with Cal Mac to gather vital scientific data and to educate passengers more about the environment they are travelling in.
Cal Mac’s environmental manager, Klare Chamberlain, said: “Wildlife tourism is growing on both a global and local scale and now accounts a significant amount of the total spend across the tourism sector in Scotland.
“Scottish Natural Heritage research suggests that we sail in one of the most attractive
eco-
She added: “As well as having a duty to help protect this environment by gathering as much data as we can, we can also play a role in promoting the wealth of wildlife we have in our area as a way of helping to sustain and grow island economies.”
It is estimated that CalMac’s area of operations contains as much as 6,500 different species of plants and animals.
Cal Mac encourages new awareness of wildlife
13 November 2018