Hello, I'm writing with regards to a sighting of Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) between the Faroe Islands and Iceland on 26 July 2012. As far as I'm aware this is the most northerly recorded sighting of the species - there have been strandings in Iceland but I cannot find evidence of a live animal being recorded further north than the Shetland Islands, Scotland. General consensus on the distribution of the Cuvier's beaked whale seems to be that the northernmost boundary is south of the Faroe Islands. Is anyone aware of any other sightings in this area or can shed some light on the distribution of the species? The sighting has come to my attention as a result of the cetacean distribution survey currently taking place in the Faroe Islands, run by Planet Whale and WSPA. The project is ongoing until September 30th this year, and is currently calling for all cetacean sightings in the area to be reported to the survey team. Working with local and outside partners we hope to establish a clearer picture of the diversity and distribution of cetaceans around the Islands - through dedicated watches throughout the summer season and the collection of data from other sources. Please send any information or sightings to sarahjackson@planetwhale.com, and please feel free to contact me for more details regarding the project. We'd also be very happy to hear from anyone who has worked or studied the marine wildlife in the area previously, or has any relevant work ongoing. Kind regards, Sarah Jackson Project Manager sarahjackson@planetwhale.com Office: +44 (0)1273 355011 Planet Whale, 2a Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FL, UK www.whale-fest.com