This group includes the sperm whale and orca or killer whale as well as the dolphins and porpoises. These plates are made from keratin, a hard material that also makes our fingernails. The whales strain seawater between the plates to extract small animals called plankton and, for some species, fish and squid. The minke and humpback are both baleen whales, as is the blue whale, the largest living animal. Whales and dolphins around the British Isles Eleven species of cetaceans are regularly recorded in British and Irish waters.
Some species remain throughout the year, others migrate seasonally.
In spring, they migrate north through the deep waters along the continental shelf edge, west of Britain and Ireland. Where to watch whales and dolphins Many of the best whale and dolphin watching sites are off the west coast of Scotland and around the Scottish islands. They are seen much less often further south and in the North Sea. Watching tends to be most productive in the early morning and late afternoon. The best sites are often headlands projecting out into the sea and binoculars, or preferably a telescope are usually essential.