Humpback whale off the Isle of Man

29/07/2010 09:57:21 Humpback whale in the Irish Sea
On Friday 23rd July, a research team from Manx Basking Shark Watch photographed a humpback whale around 6 miles off Peel, on the West Coast of Isle of Man. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) compared the photos with the Irish Humpback whale catalogue but there was no match, so this appears to be a new animal for Irish and Isle of Man waters.

Given the rarity of humpback whale activity in the Irish Sea, it is very likely that this is the same Humpback observed off Howth Head, Co. Dublin 8 days earlier.

 

Humpback whale off Howth area, Co. Dublin 15/07/10 © Sean Pearse

Humpback off Dublin
The first Humpback whale in the eastern Irish Sea in almost 20 years, probably a sub-adult, was photographed within metres of the Cardinal marker off Howth Head, between Howth Harbour and Ireland's Eye on Thursday 15/07/10.

 

Courtesy of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.