Sealife and Wildlife on the Moray Firth

The Moray Firth is home to around 130 bottlenose dolphins, the only known resident population of bottlenose dolphins in the North Sea.
From land, groups of these bottlenose dolphins can often be seen leaping close to shore on calm days, with April to September being the best months to see these animals in their natural habitat in this area.
There are many boats who specialise in trips to see the Dolphins and other Sealife.
Visit the Moray Dolphins website for more details

WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre

Based at the mouth of the River Spey the wildlife centre is set on a 450 hectare nature reserve with exhibitions, cafe and shop, it’s a fantastic day out!
The Centre is based in a wildlife haven that is home to ospreys, grey and harbour seals, otters, wildfowl and waders. Part of a 450 hectare nature reserve, it is a breathtaking and truly unique part of Scotland.

The cliffs at Troup Head, near Pennan, provide a home to hundreds of thousands of seabirds including puffins, fulmars, shags, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills.
During the summer months over 150,000 breeding seabirds are present at the site.
Troup Head is also home to Scotland’s only mainland gannet colony. The gannet population in the area has exploded since 1988, when there were only four nests, to now over 1,500.

The reserve also offers fantastic views across the Moray Firth.
Visit the Troup Head page of the RSPB website.

Puffin Cruises

Puffin Cruises offer daily sightseeing and fishing trips from Macduff Harbour along the scenic Moray Firth coastline which has an abundance of sea and bird life that includes gannets, whales and dolphins.

On the 3 hour birdwatching trip they sail to Troup Head, the RSPB site which is home to 4,000 plus gannets and is the only gannet colony in mainland Scotland.
Along the way they hope to see and indeed do often encounter the bottlenose dolphins of the Moray Firth.

The boat is also available for private charter and fishing trips.
Visit the Puffin Cruises web site

This is one of the best visitor attractions in the North East of Scotland, learn about some of the wonderful sea life exhibited in the award-winning Aquarium.

Situated on Aberdeenshire's scenic coast in the traditional fishing town of Macduff, this Aquarium features marine life from the Moray Firth, Scotland' largest bay, in a variety of exciting and innovative exhibits.

Visitors come face to face with hundreds of native fish and invertebrates normally only seen by SCUBA divers who brave the chilly waters of the North Sea.

The aquarium' deep central exhibit, which displays a living kelp reef, is the only one of its kind in Britain and divers hand feed the fish on a regular basis.

Visit the web site of th Macduff Marine Aquarium

The Gemini Explorer

The Gemini Explorer is based in Buckie and has been awarded a 4 Star Tour rating from the Scottish Tourist Board.

The boat sail throughout the year, daily tours last 2 and a half hours and depending on the tides and weather conditions They usually make trips 2 - 3 trips daily.
Visit their Web Site