The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group advocate for a better understanding of cetaceans and their habitats through education and research. We believe that the first step in becoming an ocean literate and informed society, starts with our youngest citizens. We are delighted to announce a new educational resource for young and aspiring marine biologists, Ireland’s
Lonneke IJsseldijk I am a biologist, working as a researcher in the division of Pathology of the faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the Netherlands where I manage the marine mammal stranding research project. Commissioned by the government, we conduct post-mortem investigations on stranded cetaceans, aiming at establishing their causes of death, and specifically to understand
What is happening to Cuvier’s beaked whales? By now, hopefully, many people are aware that the annual number of stranded whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) in Ireland has virtually doubled in the last ten years and that much of this increase has been due to a huge rise in the numbers of dead common dolphins
Dr Conor Ryan was talking at Whale Tales. Conor delivered a personal and inspiring journey from Cobh to the Antarctic, following his heart and dreams. He covered many important issues from entanglement and the effectiveness of marine protected areas in Scotland to the morality of taking people into the last wilderness which was the Antarctic.
On the 28th of November, a group of common dolphins live stranded in the Mullet in Co. Mayo and was reported to the IWDG. Thank you to Gemma O’Connor who was on site to assist and refloat the animals, along with other members of the public, the local NPWS ranger and the Irish Coast Guard
Distinguished Contributors Awards 2019 is a series of new annual awards which acknowledges those who have made a significant contribution to the work of the IWDG. The recipient of the DCA from the IWDG for Best Use of IWDG Data is James Hedderman. IWDG CEO Dr Simon Berrow who nominated James says: “IWDG get a
Whale Tales 2019 kicked off by showcasing research currently being done by the IWDG and by celebrating members and wildlife enthusiasts through a series of video clips hosted by Tony Whelan from Canola Pictures. Our Friday movie night set a relaxing and friendly environment giving people the opportunity to tell their whale tales. Saturday was
The IWDG contribute a monthly radio slot on This Island Nation, courtesy of the generosity of Tom McSweeney. This Island Nation is broadcast on digital radio and syndicated all around Ireland. IWDG feature strongly on this months edition of “This Island Nation” with the current Cape Verdes expedition and IWDG Sightings Officer’s thoughts on the
On Saturday 24th August, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group delivered Whale Watch Ireland 2019. All–Ireland Whale Watch day, now in its 19th year, comprises free, guided land-based watches, spread over 14 counties, and in all four provinces and continues to be one of the largest events on the Irish wildlife calendar. To maximize the impact of this