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, and most recently, a mother and calf pair of Sowerby’s beaked whales.
The Sowerby’s pair was reported on the 8th of June at Claddaghduff, Co. Galway. A post-mortem examination of the mother was carried out in-situ, while the calf was examined at the Athlone Regional Veterinary Laboratory. The cause of death for the calf was confirmed as live stranding, while no definitive cause of death was identified for the mother. However, we are awaiting the results of further testing. A wide range of samples was collected, including stomach contents, which will help us better understand the animals’ recent feeding ecology.
The Sowerby’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) is an offshore species. They are a deep-diving member of the beaked whale family, and their habitat includes Ireland’s offshore waters. Due to its elusive nature, sightings at sea are rare, and much of what we know about them comes from stranded animals. Therefore, each stranding represents an important opportunity to learn more about their biology, ecology and conservation. The IWDG have a total of 38 records of this species, comprising 40 individuals. This mother and calf pair provide further evidence of beaked whales calving in Irish waters (see O’Callaghan et al. 2022)
Many thanks to Orla O’Connor for first reporting the animals to us and for providing additional photographs that enabled species confirmation. We would also like to thank Marie Louise Heffernan of our Volunteer Stranding Network for taking further photographs to assess the condition of the carcasses.
A special thank you to Melanie O’Donoghue of our Volunteer Veterinary Network for sourcing additional equipment for DDRIP, and to Duggan Veterinary Supplies, Tipperary, for generously donating essential kit to support the project.
Events such as these highlight the importance of a coordinated response, ensuring that we can learn as much as possible from these rare and remarkable animals. Our sincere thanks go once again to the NPWS, the Regional Veterinary Laboratories, our Voluntary Veterinary Network, and our Volunteer Stranding Network for their continued support.
Finally, a huge thank you to the public for continuing to report strandings to the IWDG. Without these reports, projects such as DDRIP would not be possible.
Reference: O’Callaghan, S.A., Overy, L., Hunt, L., Foxall, D., Collins, M. and O’Connell, M., 2022. Strandings of a neonate and a pregnant Sowerby’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens (Sowerby, 1804)) in Ireland. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 102, pp.309–314. Available here.
Photo credit: Stephanie Levesque, IWDG Strandings Officer