|
Increase in Irish strandings
Figures show that there has been a big increase in Irish strandings of whales and dolphins compared to previous years. A total of 160 stranding and 1,565 sighting reports were logged during 2011, which compares to 92 strandings in 2010.
Bad weather hampered sightings, but the total was the third highest since 1991 - also the year when Irelands' whale and dolphin sanctuary was declared by former taoiseach Charles Haughey. The 2011 statistics included a very high peak of common dolphin strandings during February and a high number of porpoise strandings during the winter.
Most recent was a 43ft sperm whale, washed up on Connemara's Omey island attracting more than 8,000 people. It was estimated that it may have died several weeks before as it had already begun to deteriorate.
The last recorded sperm whale found on the coastline was a live stranding at Cunniger spit near Dungarvan, Co Waterford, in late August. The mammal survived for just a day. Previous to that was a live stranding in Donegal in 2007.
|
