DOLPHIN lovers are being offered a free training course to help a charity get a better understanding of the mammals off our shores.

North Wales is an excellent area for sighting whales, dolphins and porpoise. Whether it be a harbour porpoise from Point Lynas on Anglesey, bottlenose dolphins around the Llyn Peninsula and Llandudno or Risso’s dolphin around Anglesey and Bardsey Island the waters have a lot to offer.

The Sea Watch Foundation is a research charity which monitors cetaceans all around the UK and it relies on volunteers to help collect whale, dolphin and porpoise sightings as well as conducting dedicated watches for cetaceans. The Welsh Sea Watchers project was set up to help recruit and organise sea-watching volunteers across Wales.

The project is always looking for new volunteers and with the announcement of this latest batch of free training courses, it’s so easy to get involved.

The Welsh Sea Watcher training courses give volunteers the skills needed to undertake their own land watches and to identify the cetacean species they can see. No previous experience is necessary; however a passion for wildlife and conservation is essential.

The charity has three training courses across north Wales that anyone can attend; the Breakwater Country Park in Holyhead on 19 November, the Seaquarium in Rhyl on 20 November, or Nant Gwynant on the Llyn Peninsula on 28 November.

Bookings can be made by caliing Sea Watch’s Wales development officer, Mathew Clough, on 07519 743773 or by e-mailing [email protected] .

Aside from land-based opportunities to monitor the animals, regular volunteers are invited to survey cetaceans from a boat, which is a unique and thrilling experience.

There are many other ways for people to become involved in the scheme too, helping the charity with maintenance of its sightings network, contributing to its Adopt A Dolphin newsletters, blog-writing, video-editing and much more.

Sea Watch would ask that if you have a particular niche you can fill that you come along to one of the training courses and chat to Matt about how you can get also get involved with the monitoring and protection of these incredible species.