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A huge diversity of whales, dolphins and porpoises can be sighted in UK and European waters.
During this course, you will be introduced to these incredible animals and you will learn how to identify over 25 different species of whale, dolphin and porpoise, plus learn the skills to be able to survey for these animals from land or at sea.
Upon completion, you will be given exclusive access to the bespoke ORCA OceanWatchers app, where you will be able to directly contribute to ORCA’s conservation work.
The flexible ORCA OceanWatchers survey methodology and the easy-to-use app will enable many people to get involved with ORCA’s vital monitoring work and collect data more regularly.
To take part in the ORCA OceanWatchers programme, you will need to:
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- Attend an ORCA OceanWatchers training course
- Become a member of ORCA
- Download and log into the ORCA OceanWatchers app
- Get out there to survey; wherever and whenever you like!
This is a 2-week online course covering 2 topics, for which you will complete a variety of online resources and activities. The course is created and managed by ORCA but will be booked through FSC and hosted on the FSC learning platform, Moodle. Each topic is then concluded with an interactive Zoom workshop to complement the content.
All course content has been created by ORCA.
This course is aimed at adults and covers the following topics:
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- ORCA OceanWatchers Introduction and Cetacean Identification
- Conducting a survey for whales, dolphins and porpoises using the ORCA OceanWatchers app
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
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- Explain the variety of whales, dolphins and porpoises in UK and European Waters and identify the species most commonly sighted here.
- Use the ORCA OceanWatchers app to collect vital information on the environmental conditions and any animals sighted.
- Contribute to ORCA’s work monitoring vulnerable whale, dolphin and porpoise populations and protecting critical marine habitats.
This is a training course from ORCA, hosted on the FSC learning platform, including online course materials, expert tuition, and a flexible learning style. After attending this course, you may like to progress your learning about marine mammals with further relevant courses from ORCA and the FSC or branch out into other areas of the animal kingdom.
This course is run by ORCA a marine conservation charity that is dedicated to studying and protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises in the UK and European waters.
Please note bookings are managed by the FSC on behalf of ORCA, and will close at 9 am on Friday 1st April to allow for all participants to be enrolled to the online platform – booking will not be taken after this time.
Each individual needs to place their own order to ensure we can sign you up to the learning platform and give you access to resources.
About ORCA
With their unique take on marine conservation, ORCA is a charity that is entirely dedicated to studying and protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises in the UK and European waters. They work to identify and protect critical whale and dolphin habitats in UK waters and beyond. The identification of important whale and dolphin habitats is carried out by ORCA’s Marine Mammal Survey Teams, who are all volunteers. This is what makes them so unique. It is their own volunteer teams on board ferries and cruise ships in European waters that conduct the monthly scientific surveys, recording the species they see, where they are and what they are doing. Using the data these teams collect, ORCA can help create safer spaces and a safer future for whales and dolphins.
Tutor: Anna Bunney
Anna Bunney is the Head of Education for UK marine conservation charity ORCA, and manages the outreach and education parts of ORCA’s programmes. A geographer by training and wildlife conservationist by trade, Anna is particularly fascinated with marine mammals and has a particular soft spot for humpback whales!
The webinars will take place on the following dates at 1:00 pm (GMT):
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- Monday 11th April at 1:00 - 1:45 pm
- Monday 18th April at 1:00 - 1:45 pm
Please note - webinars will be recorded and uploaded to the virtual learning platform for learners unable to attend.
Example Timetable
Week 1: The identification of whales, dolphins and porpoises
Self-study material available: 04/04/2022
Online activities due: 11/04/2022 at 12:00 pm
Week 1 Live Webinar: 11/04/2022 at 1:00 pm
Week 2: Conducting a survey for whales, dolphins and porpoises using the ORCA OceanWatchers app
Self-study material available: 11/04/2022
Online activities due: 18/04/2022 at 12:00 pm
Week 2 Live Webinar: 18/04/2022 at 1:00 pm
The final deadline to complete any outstanding activities and self-study components is 25/04/2022.
Time commitment: This course will require approximately 3 - 4 hours of your time each week. This includes covering course materials on our Moodle learning platform and attending the Zoom session
What's Included
The course has been carefully created to allow you to have the knowledge and understanding of cetacean surveying. Upon completion, you will have exclusive access to the bespoke ORCA OceanWatchers app, where you will be able to directly contribute to ORCA’s conservation work.
The course includes:
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- 60-minute interactive weekly Zoom workshops to connect with the tutor and other participants.
- Expert tuition from a leading UK marine mammal conservation charity
- Activities to work on independently in advance of each Zoom workshop.
Once registered, you will follow well-illustrated, user-friendly ’books’ to pick up knowledge. Quizzes and skill-checks will give you instant feedback on your learning. Forums give students the chance to interact with each other as well as a place to share work.
You can rest assured that you are receiving the absolute best content from an expert in marine conservation.
Before You Attend
Once you sign up you’ll receive an email at least 48 hours in advance of the course opening with details of how to access the FSC easy-to-use platform, Moodle.
Webinars are via Zoom so you won’t need any new software to attend
Please note that bookings will close at 9 am on Friday 1st of April to allow for all participants to be enrolled to the online platform - booking will not be taken after this time.
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