31/08/2026
Arran has been treated to an amazing array of visiting marine wildlife this summer .
‘Cetacean soup’ as whale and dolphin sightings surge around Arran
Scottish waters around Arran have been described as “cetacean soup” after an unusually busy week of whale and dolphin sightings.
The National Trust for Scotland’s Arran Ranger Service said visitors had reported sightings of humpback whales, minke whales and common dolphins in the Kilbrannan Sound and Firth of Clyde.
Ferry passengers have also been treated to encounters more commonly associated with dedicated whale-watching trips, with at least two humpback whales reportedly feeding off Arran.
Rangers believe an abundance of food could be attracting the marine mammals to the area. Large gatherings of gulls have been observed off Pirnmill, while fish have been seen jumping close to shore and copepods have been spotted around Lochranza.
The rangers suggested warmer sea temperatures this summer may have contributed to increased plankton, providing food for copepods. Small fish then feed on the copepods, while larger shoals, including mackerel, provide prey for whales and dolphins.
Humpback whales require substantial quantities of food, making the presence of concentrated fish and plankton particularly significant.
Calmer sea conditions have also helped produce spectacular encounters, including reports of breaching whales and leaping dolphins.
The Arran Ranger Service, which helps care for the natural environment around Brodick Country Park and Goatfell, said one of the most memorable features had been hearing whales blow across the water.
The team shared photographs of the wildlife, joking that a CalMac ferry had effectively become a whale-watching vessel.
