Displaying items by tag: June 2011

8th July 2011

IWDG Confirms 175 Sightings in June

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has validated 175 sighting records for June 2011.

The most commonly recorded species were bottlenose dolphins, accounting for 28 per cent of all sightings, followed by harbour porpoise (25%), minke whales (13.6%), common dolphins (9%) and basking sharks (5%).

Other sightings included Risso's dolphins, killer whales, fin whales, humpback whales (0.6%) and pilot whales.

Clearly, with basking shark sightings evaporating from a trickle to a drip, we can draw a close to the 2011 basking shark season.

"This is the second consecutive year that basking shark sightings have declined, with a 36 per cent drop in sightings on the same period in 2010," said IWDG sightings co-ordinator Pádraig Whooley.

The total numbers compare with 270 sightings in June 2010. "The 35 per cent drop in sightings reflects the vagaries of Irish summers," Whooley added.

He also noted that this year marks the first time that the biggest cluster of sightings was off the coast of Co Dublin.

The IWDG has more on the story HERE.

http://www.iwdg.ie/article.asp?id=2474

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has validated 175 large marine wildlife sighting records for June 2011.

Other sightings included Risso's dolphins, killer whales, fin whales, humpback whales and pilot whales.

"This is the second consecutive year that basking shark sightings have declined, with a 36 per cent drop in sightings on the same period in 2010," said IWDG sightings co-ordinator Pádraig Whooley.

The total numbers compare with 270 sightings in June 2010. "The 35 per cent drop in sightings reflects the vagaries of Irish summers," Whooley added.

He also noted that this year marks the first time that the biggest cluster of sightings was off the coast of Co Dublin.

The IWDG has more on the story HERE.

Published in Marine Wildlife

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