It was January, 1988. We were bobbing in a cold, murky sea, rain hitting my diving mask at 45 degrees. We had been floating there for what seemed ages when poof, a large grey mound of blubber surfaced right next to us, out of nowhere. The dolphin repeated this three times then was gone. It
The reason a rare Sowerby’s Beaked Whale live stranded and died in Wicklow Harbour on 4 July 2020 is not known. Despite a full post-mortem being carried out at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine laboratory facilities at Backweston, the cause of death could not be determined. Dr Simon Berrow of the Irish
Entanglement of whales in fishing gear is an increasing issue worldwide. The IWDG have recently documented evidence of entanglement of a humpback whale in Irish waters. Humpback IRL#HB43 in the Irish Humpback Whale Catalogue was first recorded this year on 9 May spending off Toe Head, Co Cork. It was recorded three times in June
Role of the IWDG in Live Strandings IWDG are a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) who aim to promote better understanding of cetaceans and their habitats through education and research. We do this by the collection and distribution of data and collaboration with universities, government and research groups. We operate a stranding scheme which records the incidents
On 8 August Liz Morrow was on a boat trip in Donegal Bay when they encountered a single large whale off Slieve League that was about 2.5 – 3 times larger than their 6.5 metre RIB. The sighting was reported to IWDG with images as a “probable” fin whale and on viewing all the images,
The IWDG received a call on the morning of the 19th August to report a live stranding. Initially the animals were reported as bottlenose dolphins, but after we received a video from the beach at Rossnowlagh, Co Donegal from Thomas and Louise Coleman it was clear these were Northern bottlenose whales.
It doesn’t seem that long ago when humpback whale sightings in Irish waters were a rare occurrence….. they were something that happened to others and in hard to reach places. Then something special happened in West Cork in September 1999; we not only got a sighting report of three humpback whales off the Kinsale Gas
One of the fringe benefits of being a whale watcher in Ireland, is that we regularly find ourselves with front row seats at some truly memorable events. Some of them, like the Sowerby’s beaked whale last weekend in Wicklow harbour, may be difficult to watch, as the end game invariably plays itself out, before reaching
It is with great disappointment that IWDG has learned of the new government’s proposal to move the responsibility for nature and biodiversity (including the National Parks and Wildlife Services) to the Department of Housing. As we face a biodiversity and climate change crisis, it is essential that environmental concerns be given the full considerations that
“Ireland to Iceland – On The Trail Of The Humpback Whale” looks to bring you on an immersive journey following the IWDG around Iceland in 2018 . It runs 58 minutes. “The aim of the film is not to tell you everything but to give you a sense of something.” Tony Whelan director ‘The music….the