As part of the Atlantic Whale Deal, it is my job to identify surveys that have a high chance of encountering large whales. These surveys would greatly improve our chances of capturing footage of the cetaceans and their blows on the Sea.AI Sentry thermal camera. So far we had mainly joined the Irish RV Celtic
The IWDG were successful in our funding application to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for the continuation of the Deep Diving & Rare Species Investigation Programme (DDRIP) for a further three years. Since the beginning of the project’s second phase, four animals have been examined under DDRIP, including Ireland’s first recorded narwhal, third recorded Gervais’ beaked whale,
Ireland has experienced a large number of “solitary” dolphins over the years from Fungi to Dony, Finn to Dusty. Some have left while some are still in pockets around the Irish coast. This is an international phenomena and the reasons why individuals may not be part of a wider social dolphin group and become exposed
I had mixed feelings as I was driving to Myross Woods House this June bank holiday weekend to deliver our recent IWDG Residential Weekend Whale Watching Course at CECAS ; and it wasn’t just the poor weather outlook. This was our 9th and unfortunately to be our last such course at CECAS since our first
IWDG report on Whale Watch Ireland 2026 On Saturday 23rd May the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) delivered another Whale Watch Ireland event. All Ireland Whale Watch day, now in its 24th year, comprises free, guided land-based whale watches, which this year was planned for and delivered at 18 sites in 14 coastal
Team members of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group travelled to Dundee, Scotland, in April for the 37th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, one of Europe’s key gatherings for marine mammal researchers, conservation practitioners, students, policy specialists and stranding experts, reuniting over 800 people. Held from 20–24 April 2026, this year’s conference theme
On Saturday 23rd May the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) invites you to join us at a local headland or vantage point for Whale Watch Ireland 2026, between 5:00-7:00 PM. This annual event, now in its 24th year, comprises free and guided watches at 18 local sites as part of All-Ireland whale watch day.
There have been six confirmed species of beaked whales recorded in Ireland to date, all of which belong to the family Ziphiidae. These are elusive deep-diving offshore whale species, and the majority of what we know about them globally comes from the examination of stranded individuals. The most frequently stranded beaked whale species in Ireland
The Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) has published its Nature Restoration Recommendations, recognising that 90% of our protected habitats are in unfavourable conservation status, and laying out key areas of work to allow implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation. The cost to implement the Regulation in Ireland across land and sea is estimated at up to
I can’t be the only person wondering what’s happening to our humpback whales this year? A review of IWDG sightings data over the past decade (2016-2025) shows that during this period our first recorded humpbacks have been reported between March 2nd and April 20th, with a median date of March 27th (see graph below). At