Map of all humpback sightings in 2024
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 their southbound migration to tropical breeding grounds. So 2024 looks like it’ll be a fairly average year for our humpbacks, with a ranking of 5th place over the last decade.
Introduction & Summary of 2024
2024 in many respects was very similar to 2023. In fact, in terms of numbers of sightings, the two years were almost identical with 134 sightings in 2023 and 133 in 2024. They largely remained faithful to their West Kerry haunts, which has consistently been the most productive humpback hotspot over the past decade. So 2024 was the year when Kerry took back the title, as the best place to see humpback whales in Irish coastal waters.
2024 produced a good spread of sightings over more Counties, with the majority of reports (50%) from Co. Kerry, followed by Donegal Bay area covering both counties Donegal and Sligo (20.5%), Cork (11%), the *Shannon Estuary (9%) Mayo (5%) and Waterford (1.5%) (Chart below).
*It should be noted that that the Shannon Estuary sightings relate to the presence of a single animal, #HBIRL136, who is our latest addition to the Irish humpback catalogue, named locally as “Carthach”, who stayed in the estuary for a minimum period of 58 days. It seems the resident bottlenose may have to add humpbacks to the increasing list of visitors to their once exclusive home.
Of the 25 humpbacks photo identified in 2024 under the IWDG’s WhaleTrack Project, 15 were known to us from previous years, while 10 were new animals not previously recorded in Irish waters, and were added to the Humpback Catalogue, which now stands at 136 individuals, all recognisable by either their tail fluke patterns or dorsal fin shape and markings. So, there was a slightly higher % of new additions in 2024 (40%), as against 33% in 2023.
2024 County breakdown of sightings
Many of those humpbacks that were photographed in places like Mayo and Sligo/Donegal Bay were animals that have previously been recorded in the Irish southwest; among these were #HBIRL009, 017, 047, 067, 089, & 102. Unlike in 2023, when once recorded in the Northwest area, most remained in Donegal Bay, this year, half of these travelled back south and were later recorded off the Skelligs, Co. Kerry in September.
Some humpback highlights of 2024 season
- Our 1st match to Canada and North America of any humpback from Ireland or the British Isles, with a resight of “Hookie” or #HBIRL11 from Hook Head, Co. Wexford (Jan-Feb 2010) to several sites around Newfoundland in summer 2018 and 2021. In Jan. 2024 we learned from Andrew Stevenson of WhalesBermuda that this individual was recorded off the Challenger Bank, Bermuda in Jan. 2015. This 3rd international sighting completes a perfect “Bermuda triangle” and strengthens the link between Ireland and the Caribbean breeding area.
- Jan. 15th: we matched HBIRL056 to Skjervoy in Northern Norway on Christmas day 2023, bringing to eight the number of Irish humpbacks that have been matched to this Arctic area.
- Mar. 15th: HBIRL047 became our 10th humpback matched to the Sal Rei Bay breeding area of Boa Vista Island on the Cabo Verde. Over 4 months (135 days) later it was re-sighted off the Ceide Fields, Co. Mayo on July 28th and stayed in Donegal Bay between Sept 6-16th, before returning south to the Skelligs, Co. Kerry on Sept. 24th.
- June 23rd: Resighting of #HBIRL003, “Boomerang” smashing all Irish records, taking to 70 the numbers of sightings of this adult male along the Cork and Waterford coast, over 19 of a possible 23 years (2001-2024). This was the first year he has been recorded in Co. Kerry, when he was photographed 2 miles northwest of the Skelligs on Sept. 17th, before returning to Galley Head in Cork on Oct. 1st.
“Boomerang” HBIRL003, West Cork 1st Oct. 2024 with what remains of his dorsal fin © David Edwards
- July 14-18th : we received a flurry of sightings of new humpbacks #HBIRL129-133 in the Dingle Bay area, which was a great boost to our humpback stats, as the year thus far had been a relatively quiet one.
- Sept. 16th. Our biggest humpback day ever with no less than 10 identifications made of #HBIRL001, 009, 010, 023, 047, 048, 067, 077, 102 & 131 in Counties Kerry and Donegal. Humpbacks were also recorded of Co. Clare on the same day, but without identification.
- Nov. 26th: We had our first ever confirmed sighting of a humpback whale in the Shannon Estuary. This small specimen was measured by Miguel Blasques at 7.7 mts using drone photogrammetry, so another juvenile specimen for Ireland. It was resighted over the following 58 days between Scattery Island and the Tarbert-Killimer ferry route, feeding on herring or sprat until its last sighting on Jan. 23rd 2025, the day before the arrival of Storm Eowyn. It was named “Carthach after the legendary beast of the Shannon”. With no further sightings at time of writing Feb. 7th 2025, it is reasonable to assume that it has moved on. It will be fascinating to see if this event was a once off, or if places like the Shannon Estuary are likely to play host to more humpbacks in the years ahead.
As always IWDG extend a huge mile buiochas to all of you who have helped our research and conservation work by reporting your humpback sightings to the IWDG in 2024. Your support makes it more likely that they will return to Irish waters in the years ahead. If you’d like to learn more about our humpbacks and other whale species in Irish waters, one of our two Residential Weekend Whale Watching courses at the CECAS Ctr., in Leap, west Cork this summer could be of interest. (graphic below)
Bookings link for May 23-25th Course:
https://IWDGwhalewatchingcourseCECASmay2025.eventbrite.ie
Bookings link for Sept. 12-14th Course:
By Pádraig Whooley, IWDG Sightings Officer