Isles of Scilly Travel’s iconic ferry route between Penzance and St Mary’s has been named the UK’s best for wildlife spotting for the third year in a row.
An incredible 347 animals – of seven different marine species – were recorded by volunteer surveyors from marine conservation charity ORCA from the decks of Scillonian III in 2024.
Sharon Sandercock, Marketing and Communications Manager for Isles of Scilly Travel, said: “We know how common it is to spot wildlife on the journey to the Isles of Scilly, but it’s always nice to hear it officially from the team at ORCA.”
A distance of 1,868km was travelled on 15 surveys between March and November – the biggest distance surveyed in a single year since our partnership began in 2009. The surveys were carried out by 45 trained Marine Mammal Surveyors, many of whom are from the local area.
Seven different marine species were seen, including whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and fish. Common dolphins were the species recorded most frequently, with 262 animals seen throughout the year and recorded on almost every survey.
Sightings were lower overall in 2024, and this was accompanied by a change in the distribution of animals along the route. Fewer animals were recorded in deeper water – about half-way along the journey – than in previous years, which highlights the importance of the year-on-year, continued monitoring, as trends and shifts in distribution being reported in real-time is important for cetacean conservation.
Despite there being fewer sightings overall, there were some memorable surveys including one in October which recorded 79 dolphins in total and July survey which saw 53 animals in a single crossing, including harbour porpoise and ocean sunfish as well as Risso’s dolphins and common dolphins – a sight enjoyed by the ORCA survey team, crew and passengers on board Scillonian III.
Risso’s dolphins remained high again this year, compared to the long-term pattern with 12 animals seen in 2024. Research is mounting to suggest that warming oceans have altered the life cycles and distribution of some of their prey in the English Channel and Western Approaches, which could explain a change in occurrence.
Lucy Babey, Director of Programmes for ORCA, said: “We are so proud to work with Isles of Scilly Travel on the crossing between Penzance and St Mary‘s, and we can’t wait to see what 2025 brings.”
