Moment world's second largest whale spotted by tourist boat off west coast of Scotland

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A fin whale was spotted by a tourist boat off the west coast of Scotland today. Footage of the sea behemoth was captured at the Cairns of Coll in the Inner Hebrides on Tuesday, July 18, during a Hebrides Cruises trip.The boat was taking tourists around the isle when they spotted the whale rising to the surface.Footage shows sightseers leaning over the edge of the boat with cameras as the massive mammal frolics in the water nearby.A spokesperson from Hebrides Cruises said: ""The last time a fin whale was spotted in this area was nearly 20 years ago back in 2005."Our vessel Elizabeth G is on a ten day trip and was in the area with guests watching dolphins nearby, however we spotted the blow of the fin whale from miles away. "When we got closer the sound of its blow was very impressive, as was the size of its back. "It just appeared to surface like a submarine rather than its smaller cousin, the minke whale." Fin whales are said to be in Scottish waters all year round but sightings that far south are rare and they are most often spotted around Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles.The whale is on the Scottish Biodiversity List, made up of animals, plants and habitats that Scottish Ministers consider to be of principal importance for biodiversity conservation in Scotland.The fin whale is the second largest in the world after the blue whale.

They can grow to around 90 feet in length and weigh in at over 70 tonnes.The endangered species is found in all major oceans and feeds on small schooling fish, squid, and crustaceans. Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here