From the 3rd March to the 17th March 2007, there have been five separate stranding incidents reported to the IWDG in Co. Kerry.
On the 3rd of March, a 2.41m pilot whale (Globicephala melas) was reported from Fahamore, in Brandon Bay. This was followed by a 2.35m bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Waterville on the 11th and by two common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) on Inch Strand – a 1.38m female on the 14th and a 1.51m male on the 15th.
Today (17th March) we received a report from the Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue service of two live stranded (probable) striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). The animals had a number of injuries from the rocks on which they stranded and both of them died.
While this spate of strandings is interesting in it’s own right, it is also worth noting that immature animals were involved in at least four of the five incidents.
Mick O’Connell