The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) is running Live Stranding Response Training Courses to train new volunteers and refresh the skills of existing responders across some of Ireland’s coastal counties this summer 2025 in how to deal with live stranded cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises or whales) For 2025, course locations will include: 📍 Kerry (Ballybunion) – Sunday 10th August – Booking link opening soon
Live Stranding – Common Dolphins at Tarmon, Co. Mayo📍 Thursday 25th April 2024 On Wednesday evening, a call came in about three common dolphins observed swimming in very shallow water at Tarmon, Blacksod, a known live stranding hotspot on the Mullet Peninsula. With the tides not yet at the peak of the spring cycle, there
On the 5 March, a 9.8 male sperm whale was reported to the IWDG Stranding Scheme by Eoin Hogan of the CLDC. An IWDG team visited the carcass immediately in order to gather baseline data from the animal, which includes total body length, gender, detailed images of the carcass, and a skin sample for the
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
We’re delighted to share that the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group has been awarded €6,800 through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Animal Welfare Charity Grant Programme. This funding is essential in supporting the continued role of our Live Stranding Coordinator, Gemma O’Connor. Based on the Mullet Peninsula—one of Ireland’s live stranding hotspots—Gemma
On the 5th June 2024, four common dolphins live stranded on one of our known Live Stranding Hotspots on the Mullet Peninsula for common dolphins. The Mullet peninsula acts as a natural barrier for common dolphins wanting to head back out to the open sea after feeding in Blacksod Bay. Many of the beaches on
Tarmon, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo 26th January 2023 A particularly difficult stranding occurred at Tarmon, Blacksod, Co. Mayo (a live stranding hotspot), on Sunday the 22nd of January. A robust female striped dolphin was live-stranded and preyed upon by gulls before being found by a member of the public. Unfortunately, her injuries were too severe and