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
During 2025, the IWDG validated 2,478 cetacean and basking shark sighting records, combining both casual and effort related sightings. This is a 16% decrease on 2024. During this period 419 land-based effort watches were carried out from headlands throughout the four provinces, which is similar to 2024. Most sightings reported are mainly from inshore waters
The IWDG read with interest the recent Marine Institute Report “Crayfish catch and bycatch in the tangle net fishery off the southwest coast of Ireland in 2021 – 2024” (EMFAF 2021-2027 Marine Institute Report Series). We are very concerned with the high level of bycatch documented in this fishery. The study examined catch and bycatch
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group wishes to recruit a seasonal part time Marine Biologist to run research surveys onboard IWDG’s research vessel Celtic Mist. Celtic Mist was donated to the IWDG in 2011, by the family of Ireland’s former Taoiseach, Charles J. Haughey. At 17m, Celtic Mist has become IWDG’s flagship vessel, equipped to
Introduction Looking for a weekend with a difference? Why not join the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) www.iwdg.ie, Ireland’s leading marine conservation NGO, on a weekend whale-watching course in West Cork during summer 2025. In taking part, you will also be actively supporting whale and dolphin conservation and research in Ireland. Our 2025 residential
The live stranding season for 2025 has kicked off with a bang, with three common dolphins getting into difficulty on the Mullet Peninsula. This location comes as no surprise, as it was most likely going to be the Mullet Peninsula in Mayo or Cloghane in Co. Kerry that saw the first common dolphins in difficulty
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
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
Typically, a text message from Micheal Cottrell means good news, along the lines of an interesting whale sighting or some such, last Thursday was however the very worst of news, as his message read “Steve Wing died this evening on Cape”. You reach a certain age in your life when you get used to people