The recent humpback whale sighting in the Shannon Estuary caused quite a lot of excitement both inside the IWDG office and with the public. People travelled from all over Clare and beyond with their binoculars to see our new neighbour. The IWDG used their RIB to collect as much information as possible, including length and
On Saturday, 30th November 2024, Gemma received a call from Belmullet Garda Station about a live-stranded common dolphin near the Claggan Island causeway, Belmullet. This marked the third weekend in a row that a common dolphin had live-stranded in Ireland. The adult female was in good condition. Due to the remote location, she was initially
A recent argument critical of the development of Phase I bottom-fixed offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea and off Connemara has emerged, suggesting the State should divert its energies into building floating offshore wind (FLOW) far out to sea. It is claimed that FLOW has less environmental impact, and has the advantage that greater
13 December 2024 The IWDG team from the IWDG Head Office in Kilrush spent the afternoon trying to get a fluke shot of the whale to see if it has been recorded in Irish waters before it entered the Shannon Estuary. We tried to obtain a fluke shot which carries a unique pattern which can
On Saturday, 23rd November, a lone dolphin in distress was discovered on the shoreline by Lisa Lomax, who quickly contacted the IWDG and provided videos of the situation. IWDG responders were alerted, and as the dolphin appeared to be in reasonable condition and given that it was a pelagic species who may not know coastal
On Friday, 15th November, while John Power was birdwatching near the Gold Coast Hotel in Co. Waterford, he spotted a lone dolphin high and dry on a bank of sand out in the bay in Dungarvan. John quickly got in touch with IWDG and sent us videos. John Cahill at the same time also called
A trip to Lisbon to board the RV Celtic Explorer for a dedicated cetacean research cruise is a unique opportunity to enhance our understanding of marine ecosystems. On the 20th of October, we set sail southwards towards the Strait of Gibraltar, equipped with advanced technologies, including the SEA.AI thermal imaging camera. This device will continuously
The ObSERVE Phase II Aerial Project Reports have recently been published by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, providing an important assessment of the distribution and abundance of seabirds and cetaceans in Irish waters. Extensive aerial surveys were conducted by UCC in the Summer of 2021 and the Summer and Winter of 2022, and
Bringing Ocean Literacy to Local Schools The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) recently wrapped up its 2024 Floating Classroom program, an initiative designed to boost ocean literacy among primary school students. This year’s workshops, led by Education and Outreach Officer Claire Kelly, took place aboard the Celtic Mist in Kilrush Marina, providing local students
Strandings Overview for 2023 In September 2023, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) requested that IWDG include sea turtles as part of its remit. Although IWDG regularly logs sea turtle strandings in our database, volunteers were not previously asked to attend these events to collect additional data. We have now developed a sea turtle