Experts at the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) are monitoring a humpback whale that’s been spotted breaching in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland.
The animal was first seen in the estuary in November 2024. “To everyone’s amazement, a humpback whale was seen and filmed way up the Shannon Estuary on 26 and 27 November,” says IWDG’s Simon Berrow in a blog about the incredible sighting. “To be honest, none of us would have believed this sighting without the evidence.”
Since then, the “humpback whale continues to thrive,” according to the IWDG on Instagram. “It has been seen around the Shannonferry Group Ltd crossing between Killimer, Co Clare and Tarbert, Co Kerry the last few days.”
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Drone measurements estimate that this is a young, immature whale around 7.7 metres long. “Fully mature adults reach 14-16m in length,” says Berrow.
Although it is currently doing well, the charity is concerned about the risk of it being hit by a ship – one of the greatest threats to whales around the world. “Reducing ship speed to <14 knots greatly reduces the risk of ship collisions with whales,” says Berrow. “The IWDG have taken a precautionary approach and requested a speed reduction to 10 knots while the whale continues to occur in the estuary.”
The organisation is continuing to monitor the whale to help them learn more about the species through their WhaleTrack Ireland project.
Image and video credit: Muireann Berrow, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
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