Page 60 - Guerin Media | Cork Airport Holiday & Destination Guide 2015
P. 60
Bottlenose Dolphin acrobatics Minke Whale F © Fiona Fogarty
Fin Whale Reflections Risso’s Dolphin showing pale colouration
watching is restricted to those areas that provide safe is legendary and their willingness to associate with
haven for the variety of craft that take visitors out to humans has led to the movement to categorise these
watch these unusual marine mammals. This has grown animals as non-human persons and calls to instigate
significantly over the last 12 years earning the protection rights afforded no other non human
southwest of Ireland the reputation of being one of the species. As a result of this fascination whale and
best places in Europe for spotting a variety of cetacean dolphin watching around the globe has grown at
species, both large and small. exponential rates with opportunities to watch from
land, sea and air. Worldwide whale watching
The estuary of the Shannon river has become well activities are valued in the billions of dollars and
known for dolphin watching where a number of local thousands annually flock to key sites to catch a
operators take visitors out to view the resident glimpse of these enigmatic, gentle creatures; the very
population of around 200 bottlenose dolphins that embodiment of the gentle giant!
make these estuarine waters their home. Experienced
operators depart from a number of locations including Spotting whales and dolphins can be difficult
Kilrush and Carrigaholt. - Even in calm seas, clear weather and with good
equipment spotting whales either from the land or at
Why the fascination we have with whales and sea can be challenging. With the larger species the
dolphins? Man has long been in awe of these blows they produce when they come up to breathe can
creatures because of their size, that they breath air be visible for over a kilometre. With the smaller species
and suckle their young. They spend over 80% of their we are reliant on other indicators like feeding birds to
time under the water and when they surface to breath give away their position. When actively feeding, whales
we rarely get to see more than 20% of their bodies. and dolphins will force fish to the surface in closely
All these issues make them difficult to study and in packed shoals. Our largest seabird, the gannet will
turn this means we know little about them and their feed on these bait balls, making spectacular dives from
life cycle. Some things we do know about them is they over 50’ in some instances. Smaller birds like the Manx
engage is some of the longest mammalian migrations shearwater will feed on the debris trail left behind by
on earth and are able to communicate using low feeding animals. As the sea conditions deteriorate the
frequency sounds, unheard by the human ear, over more difficult it becomes to see feeding activity. Above
many hundreds of miles. The intelligence of dolphins Beaufort wind force 4 it is difficult to differentiate
60
Fin Whale Reflections Risso’s Dolphin showing pale colouration
watching is restricted to those areas that provide safe is legendary and their willingness to associate with
haven for the variety of craft that take visitors out to humans has led to the movement to categorise these
watch these unusual marine mammals. This has grown animals as non-human persons and calls to instigate
significantly over the last 12 years earning the protection rights afforded no other non human
southwest of Ireland the reputation of being one of the species. As a result of this fascination whale and
best places in Europe for spotting a variety of cetacean dolphin watching around the globe has grown at
species, both large and small. exponential rates with opportunities to watch from
land, sea and air. Worldwide whale watching
The estuary of the Shannon river has become well activities are valued in the billions of dollars and
known for dolphin watching where a number of local thousands annually flock to key sites to catch a
operators take visitors out to view the resident glimpse of these enigmatic, gentle creatures; the very
population of around 200 bottlenose dolphins that embodiment of the gentle giant!
make these estuarine waters their home. Experienced
operators depart from a number of locations including Spotting whales and dolphins can be difficult
Kilrush and Carrigaholt. - Even in calm seas, clear weather and with good
equipment spotting whales either from the land or at
Why the fascination we have with whales and sea can be challenging. With the larger species the
dolphins? Man has long been in awe of these blows they produce when they come up to breathe can
creatures because of their size, that they breath air be visible for over a kilometre. With the smaller species
and suckle their young. They spend over 80% of their we are reliant on other indicators like feeding birds to
time under the water and when they surface to breath give away their position. When actively feeding, whales
we rarely get to see more than 20% of their bodies. and dolphins will force fish to the surface in closely
All these issues make them difficult to study and in packed shoals. Our largest seabird, the gannet will
turn this means we know little about them and their feed on these bait balls, making spectacular dives from
life cycle. Some things we do know about them is they over 50’ in some instances. Smaller birds like the Manx
engage is some of the longest mammalian migrations shearwater will feed on the debris trail left behind by
on earth and are able to communicate using low feeding animals. As the sea conditions deteriorate the
frequency sounds, unheard by the human ear, over more difficult it becomes to see feeding activity. Above
many hundreds of miles. The intelligence of dolphins Beaufort wind force 4 it is difficult to differentiate
60