Footage of seven Orca whales in Lough Swilly, County Donegal, has gone viral in Ireland. The video, posted by a local angler, has caused a stir as only three Orcas/ Killer Whales have been spotted in the area in the last 40 years.
The video was shot by Kevin Doherty, a local angler and member of the Irish Basking Shark Research Team. The blurb posted with the video reads “Pod of killer whales filmed as they travel from Dunaff Head, Inishowen towards Fanad lighthouse.”
Emmett Johnston, Inishowen's Wildlife Ranger and part of the Irish Basking Shark Research Team spoke to IrishCentral about why this footage is so exciting.
He said “Although it is normal to see Minke whales in the area, Orcas /Killer Whales are very unusual with only three confirmed reports in the last 40 years.
“These whales hunt both inshore and offshore waters, previous records from the Irish coast are of smaller groups (two or three animals) this family group or pod of seven to eight whales is exceptional.
Using their expertise and experience in studying these whales the group has identified the pod, filmed on 6th June. He told IrishCentral how they have keep track of where the whales travel and have even named them.
Johnston explained “Using the distinctive fin markings colleges in the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group have assisted us in the identification of the individual whales. We know they are members of what is known as the Scottish Hebridean Pod.
Members of this family pod have been previously sighted from Norway to Scotland to the west coast of Ireland. Some of the names of distinctive members of the pod identified are Aquarious, Floppy Fin and LuLu.”
Both Doherty, the cameraman, and Johnston are part of the Irish Basking Shark Research Team who are based on Inishowen between April and October and undertake shark research in the coastal waters around Malin head.
In the area of Inishowen, where this rare pod was spotted, Inishowen Boating and Rathmullan Charters both run water based wildlife tours. Johnston explained “Their main focus is shark angling – Porbeagle, Blue and Tope but they undertake shark (basking shark) and dolphin/whale (bottlenose, common/ Minke) watching on demand.”
For more information visit the Inishowen website or log on to their Facebook page.
Here’s the clip:
(WARNING – SOME STRONG LANGUAGE)
15 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seagreen | Jun 10, 2012, 06:07 PM EDT
By the BAY Would you like to give me a geography lesson ? I have worked out of Iceland and Greenland for the past 11 years. I am quite aware where they are located. aside from the oceanographic aspect, perhaps you should read about Icelands history. You will find that the Irish were very much a part of Iceland until the Nordic transition. I will be heading back to Reykjavik next week, then on to Sisimiut after that. Christ I hope I find my way..
Silling | Jun 10, 2012, 05:46 AM EDT
Donegal voted NO!!
Bythebay | Jun 09, 2012, 08:24 PM EDT
Seagreen, Iceland is 1,000 miles northwest of Ireland, near Greenland, not Ireland. In Europe, Sweden and Norway are closer to Iceland than Ireland. The only commonality between Ireland and Iceland are 6 letters of the alphabet.
LoyalCitizen | Jun 09, 2012, 08:22 PM EDT
@Murph46: Your sentences read as if you have been hitting the sauce............Leave off the bottle for a while and see if you can put some coherent sentences together and make me understand you.
Murph46 | Jun 09, 2012, 08:14 PM EDT
Well then,nice research job for a change LoyalCurmudgeon-You are officially safe as whales don't eat rubbish or sh..e !
aloistmartin | Jun 09, 2012, 05:29 PM EDT
Wild and Windy, Romantic and Mysterious. And just a wee bit Frightening ~
Bythebay | Jun 09, 2012, 04:54 PM EDT
They're getting ready for The Gathering......
merefalow | Jun 09, 2012, 04:50 PM EDT
organise some snorkling for politicoes,of course the whale predators are amateur compared to the mp,s,but seeing how out of their depth they have been with the economy,i would like to see them take the plunge with the killer whales,they would either become best friends ,having so much in common,or the whales would eat them and die of food poisoning.
IrishAncestor | Jun 09, 2012, 04:38 PM EDT
I haven't a clue what some (most?) of the previous comments are about. Marvellous to see these predators in Irish waters, I'll have to head for Donegal to see if I can see them for myself. What was the "strong language "warning about? I turned the volume up full and didn't hear a single "Bless me!" or anything similar!
seagreen | Jun 09, 2012, 02:48 PM EDT
Surprising that Killer Whales are not seen more frequently off Donegal...Iceland with one of the largest concentrations of these whales has a similiar coastline, water depth, and species of fish as the northwest Irish coast. Might be interesting to note if there is an increase in the seal population. Where there are seals, you will find Killer Whales...
LoyalCitizen | Jun 09, 2012, 02:01 PM EDT
@Murph46: I don't even make a comment and you attack me..........I really must be inside your head in a bad way.............I don't think you have to worry about whales eating you. They don't eat rubbish.
ePHraimAg | Jun 09, 2012, 01:12 PM EDT
1. Amazing ExIsles, ON Maiden Cities. 2. Patrick would Be in awe if Your Briars where Standin' toDay 3. Cromwell could ot find The Time to Rust amidst Skagen Bast**Des 4. Go put Kettle ON and Please Do Not Use The Back-Door. 5. Murphy LOvES His Tractor, The Craic-n-Inns Great ! 6. Hard to catch a fRench Bullett rounds Of Here, or palm Ye Of in Isaacs Boat. 7. All Bombed Out and Arsoned Beside Her LitterBin On the Terms Of 12 occupied counties good fRiDay Agreemnt Ulster fry that Your strings not short 8. all Of The above
Murph46 | Jun 09, 2012, 12:26 PM EDT
Really,Loyal Citizen out for swim with mates?
GeorgeDillon | Jun 09, 2012, 09:34 AM EDT
Hope they don't head south to Kerry, where they're liable to be slaughtered by morons.
Portia777 | Jun 09, 2012, 09:17 AM EDT
Moving to Eire- for the kill".Hope people read the signs