The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has announced a positive match between a Humpback Whale photographed at feeding grounds off the Irish south coast in 2015, and an animal photographed at breeding grounds in the Cape Verde Islands off West Africa in April of this year.This is the first ever match between one of the 92 whales (at the time of writing) in the Irish … [Read more...] about Irish Humpback Whale linked to Cape Verde breeding grounds
IWDG
Incredible humpback whale footage off Ireland’s south coast
This breathtaking drone footage of four Humpback Whales interacting with a pod of Short-beaked Common Dolphins was captured off the coast of West Cork in late April by researchers from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG).https://vimeo.com/332435303The footage is part of an exciting new project called Whale Track Ireland, initiated by the IWDG thanks to funding from … [Read more...] about Incredible humpback whale footage off Ireland’s south coast
First basking sharks and humpback whales of the year off Ireland’s south coast
Ireland's wild south coast scored a "double whammy" in the marine megafauna stakes over the last week, with records of the first basking sharks and humpback whales of the 2018 season off the coasts of Kerry and West Cork respectively.According to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, which coordinates sightings of whales, dolphins and basking sharks around the Irish coast, the … [Read more...] about First basking sharks and humpback whales of the year off Ireland’s south coast
Huge spike in common dolphin deaths around Ireland
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group has expressed concern over a worrying increase in reports of dead common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) around the Irish coast during the first two months of 2018.According to the figures on the group's website 2017 was a record year for cetacean strandings in Ireland, with 263 validated stranding records (of all species) documented over the … [Read more...] about Huge spike in common dolphin deaths around Ireland
How to watch whales and dolphins
Whales and dolphins are an exciting part of Ireland's wildlife. As an island nation perched on the edge of the north east Atlantic we have some of the best whalewatching in Europe right on our doorstep. We teamed up with UK optics company Hawke to bring you this in depth feature on how to spot whales and dolphins around the Irish coast, from shore and when you're out on the … [Read more...] about How to watch whales and dolphins
Saturday 27 August 2016 is Whale Watch Ireland Day
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) continues it's annual all-Ireland synchronised whale-watching event in 2016, with this year's event scheduled for Saturday the 27 August between 2pm and 5pm.Timed to coincide with Heritage Week, the event, supported as always by Inis Cologne, takes place simultaneously at 20 headlands around the Irish coast, and is free and open to … [Read more...] about Saturday 27 August 2016 is Whale Watch Ireland Day
New whale species for Ireland: Bowhead Whale confirmed at Carlingford
The Irish Whale and Dolphin group (IWDG) has confirmed that an unidentified whale seen and photographed by the crew of a pilot vessel at the mouth of Carlingford Lough yesterday is a young bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus).This Arctic whale species has never been recorded before in Irish water, and fittingly becomes the 25th whale and dolphin species on the Irish list on … [Read more...] about New whale species for Ireland: Bowhead Whale confirmed at Carlingford
Sharks are back!
Great news for wildlife enthusiasts -- sharks are back off the Irish coast.Basking sharks, the world's second largest shark species, return to Irish shores every year around the same times as swallows. Early sightings of these less well known but much larger harbingers of spring trickled in at the end of March from West Cork, and with an impressive record of 20 basking … [Read more...] about Sharks are back!
Whale Watch Ireland 2015
On Sunday 23 August, as part of Heritage Week 2015, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group is hosting its annual shore-based all-Ireland whale-watching event, Whale Watch Ireland.Taking place at 20 land-based vantage points around the coast of the Island of Ireland, the event aims to raise awareness of the 24 species of cetaceans that occur in Irish waters. It also provides … [Read more...] about Whale Watch Ireland 2015
Rare beluga whale sighting off Antrim coast
A rare beluga whale, a species usually only found in Arctic and sub-arctic waters, was captured on camera off the Antrim coastline late last week. This is the first confirmed report of this rare cetacean in Irish waters since the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) started keeping systematic sightings records in 1991 and only the third ever. The two previous … [Read more...] about Rare beluga whale sighting off Antrim coast
