Whale Watch Ireland 2012 report

On Sunday 19^th August the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group delivered Whale Watch Ireland 2012. This All–Ireland Whale Watch day comprised free, guided whale watches at 17 sites throughout the country.

This event now in its 12^th year is one of the largest events on the Irish wildlife calendar and was attended by c915 whale watchers and visitors alike at 16 sites, spread out over 12 counties, and in all four provinces, see breakdown on table below.

To maximize the impact of this event it was once again timed to coincide with Heritage Week, thus helping us introduce this event to an even wider audience.  The main objective of this event is to raise awareness of the 24 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) recorded to date in Irish waters, and to promote their conservation by highlighting public participation in our successfully recording schemes, which encourage members of the public to report sightings and strandings to the IWDG.

Unfavourable weather prevailed at just over half the sites (53%). The Co. Wexford watch at Baginbun Head, on the HookPeninsula, had to be cancelled due to weather. But the event still produced some really good sightings with cetacean sightings at 10 of the16 sites watched (62.5%). This figure rises to 75% if we eliminate the sites with the worst weather.  In fact at two sites there were two species seen and one site, Loop Head, Co. Clare produced an impressive 3 species (bottlenose dolphins, minke whale and large baleen whale species), despite the weather being far from ideal. 

As usual there was a good mix of both Irish and overseas visitors to the watches, and for many attending, this was their first encounter with a cetacean in the wild in Irish waters.  Those attending at many of the sites were provided with expert interpretation by IWDG personnel, members and NPWS conservation rangers in Sligo and Donegal, who have vast experience regarding cetaceans and their ecology, biology and the conservation threats facing these marine mammals. An assortment of whale artifacts were on view at some sites, and there was plenty of handouts and information sheets supplied by both IWDG and Inis Cologne, the event’s sole sponsor.

IWDG are very pleased with the results of this event, and we hope that among the many who attended, there will be many new members and dedicated whale watchers who are willing to volunteer some of their time and energy in furthering our understanding of the whales and dolphins that live in Irish coastal waters.

A huge thanks to Inis Cologne, www.perfume.ie, for once again making this wonderful day possible.
 

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