Story of the endangered flapper skate comes to life in a new film

One of Orkney’s rarest animals – the flapper skate – is the focus of a new short film due for release this week. 31st March 2024. 

 “Uncommon” documents the species of skate - which is now classed as “critically endangered” by experts - and the work of the Orkney Skate Trust in trying to ensure its survival. 

Deva Smith from Stramash Film worked with Daniel Wise from the Trust to produce the film, which includes stunning footage of flapper skate, captured through a specially designed camera system. 

The islands around Scotland are thought to be some of the last remaining strongholds of the flapper skate, with Orkney considered to be an area that is successfully managing to maintain a population. 

The Orkney Skate Trust has been researching this population for over a decade, aiming to learn more about their numbers and their ecology. 

Finding ways to record these huge flapper skates in their natural habitat has been key to learning more about them and the film highlights this work in the context of wider efforts to protect the species. 

Daniel said: “As a scallop diver I have been fortunate to spend time with flapper skates in their world, which was a rare and unique experience. Through the years at the Orkney Skate Trust we have been working on innovative ways to bring their story to life, and with our camera systems we are now able to show these animals - the largest skate species in the world, to everyone. 

“Uncommon will show our high-definition underwater images filmed off our amazing Orkney coastline, along with a captivating story covering how the flapper skate went from the brink, and what can be done to help the recovery of this apex predator.” 

The film can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndF7eppRV8&ab_channel=OrkneySkateTrust 

The film was funded by the North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme (NILPS) as part of a wider Wildlife Recording Project to support research into various species across the North Isles and support community engagement in wildlife recording. 

The North Isles Landscape Partnership is a £4.5m programme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, Orkney Islands Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, NatureScot. It supports projects that promote the culture, heritage and landscape of the North Isles and will run until December 2024.