Joint Press Release: Provided by the Center for Coastal Studies, the New England Aquarium, and the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group. Published verbatim as submitted. Unique Encounter with Right Whale off Boston Reveals Unusual European Connection BOSTON, MASS. (Dec. 3, 2025) – Researchers have discovered that a North Atlantic right whale recently sighted in Massachusetts
After the highs of 2024 which broke all previous basking shark records with 357 validated sightings, it was always going to be a difficult year to beat and so it transpired with 186 sightings so far in 2025. While acknowledging that the calendar year still has some way to go, when it comes to Cetorhinus
Summer Sightings Summary Roundup 2025 As we are now past the halfway mark in the year, it’s as good a time as any to take a look at what the sightings data might be telling us. With a running total of 1,386 validated unique records year to date, we may be having a quieter year
Before I get into the meat of this piece, I’d like to tackle an issue which seems to get some people both animated and agitated in equal measure. There is no right or wrong way to refer to this species. Some people use the term “Killer whale” whilst others prefer “Orca”. Neither one is more
IWDG report on Whale Watch Ireland 2025 On Saturday 17th May the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) delivered another Whale Watch Ireland event. All Ireland Whale Watch day, now in its 23rd year, comprises free, guided land-based whale watches, which this year was planned for and delivered at 14 sites in 14
A reflection on the Waterford/Western Scotland Sperm whale Last month we wrote about the sperm whale in Waterford Estuary on March 25th which after spending the day in the shallows around Arthurstown left the estuary that same evening on a falling tide. A week later on April 1st Scottish fishermen saw it around Little Cumbrae
Final Report IV: A team from SMASS (Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme) were on stand by to carry out an investigation of the sperm whale on Wed. 9th, alas it was taken back by the sea on a falling tide and the carcass was lost for a few days, until it came back ashore on
At time of writing in early March 2025, our 2024/25 fin whale season is nearing an end. It looked like it was over by late January, with just a single fin whale sighting record off Helvic Head, Co. Waterford on February 8th however, effort watches since Feb. 25th by our local IWDG Cork group have
Whale Watch Ireland 2025, Saturday 17th May @ 17:00 On Saturday 17th May, IWDG in association with Inis, invite you to Whale Watch Ireland 2025 between 5:00-7:00 PM. This annual event, now in its 23rd year, comprises free and guided whale watches at local headlands and vantage points, as part of All-Ireland whale watch day. This
Our 2023 Irish humpback whale season produced a tally of 134 sighting records. At time of writing in early February 2025, we’ve received an almost identical tally of sighting records (n=133 see map right). It’s reasonable to assume that at this stage most of our humpbacks have either commenced or are about to depart on