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A 15-metre inflatable humpback whale filled a gym at Oban High School, as the centrepiece to a ‘whaley’ fun science outreach event for west coast primary school children.

Whale of a Time was organised by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) and hosted schoolchildren from Lochnell, Castlebay and Eoligarry primaries, teaching them about whales and other marine mammals that live in Scottish waters.

The event was the conclusion to the GENESIS project, an outreach programme funded by the Scottish Government’s Climate Engagement Fund. It sought to explore intergenerational attitudes to climate change and the conservation of cetaceans in some of Scotland’s remote coastal and island west coast communities.

The one-year project, which ended this week, also involved Tiree Primary School and has offered school workshops, in person family events, online school career sessions and community seminars with marine and climate researchers. 

Whale of a Time was supported by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT), The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), Young Sea Changers Scotland, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, which supplied the event’s life-size humpback whale, called Hope. School pupils were able to step inside the inflatable giant, to learn about the anatomy of the whale.

�鶹ӰԺSTEM and Outreach Officer Mia Leng said: “It has been incredible to see the engagement of pupils over this past school year. It has been particularly important to offer these opportunities to young people in rural places like Barra and Tiree.

“Providing a platform for young people to be the voice of their local area on topics of climate change and conservation is absolutely vital because they are the future of these coastal communities.

“A huge thank you to the Scottish Government’s Climate Engagement Fund for supporting the project and the Sea Changers Fund for additional money towards food and travel costs for Barra pupils coming to Oban.”

Hebridean waters have up to 23 species of cetaceans during a calendar year and they play an important part in the marine food web. Whales and dolphins were once plentiful around our shores. But historical whaling, human activities, pollution and climate change have caused a drop in populations.

Throughout the GENESIS project, and in collaboration with local partners, �鶹ӰԺdelivered workshops and public talks about the cetaceans that occur in the Hebrides, exploring their biology, cultural and ecological significance and their challenges, including the changing climate.

The project also sought opinions from the communities about how different actions might improve the future for their own community, and the wellbeing of cetaceans.

The Scottish Government’s Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Having an understanding of the twin nature and climate crises is key to continued public support for climate action.

 “That’s why we need as many credible voices communicating about climate change as possible.

“By supporting grassroots action such as this project by the Scottish Association for Marine Science in Barra, Tiree and Oban, our Climate Engagement Fund will support the transformational societal change needed to for Scotland to cut its emissions and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”