A lone pilot whale has been reported in Trondheim. Respect wild animals. Please keep your distance.

Pilot whales are deeply social and seek body contact within their groups. Reports describe a young whale, approximately 3.5 metres long, isolated from its group for more than a year. A lone whale may be vulnerable, and turning it into a tourist attraction only increases the pressure.

Paid RIB trips are reportedly taking people to see this whale. Operators must stop: commercial close encounters are not conservation.

Close contact can disrupt feeding, resting, travelling and communication, transfer human-associated bacteria and habituate the whale to people and boats. Reports that this whale seeks contact suggest it may already have lost some natural distance from humans, increasing the risks of collision, entanglement, hooks and other injuries. Close contact also puts people at risk: a young pilot whale may use mounting, mouthing or playful biting as social behaviour, but these actions can still injure people and carry potential infection risks.

To the sea safari companies:
• Cancel trips targeting this whale, and stop advertising or sharing its location.
• Do not approach, follow, surround, feed, touch or invite people to swim with it.
• Keep vessels distant, quiet and out of its path, report sightings to the relevant authorities, and redirect customers towards land-based education.

To the public:
• Do not book a trip, approach, follow, surround, feed, touch or swim with the whale.
• Do not publish its live location or share close-up footage that could draw more people to the area.
• If you see it from a boat, keep well away, allow it to move freely and report concerns to the relevant authorities. Do not attempt a rescue yourself.

The best way to care for this whale is to stay clear of it. Let it rest, feed and navigate without boats, cameras and crowds around it.

#LeaveWildlifeWild #ProtectPilotWhales #ResponsibleWildlifeWatching #Trondheim #MarineConservation