‘Very unusual’ number of stranded Cuvier’s beaked whales found

Five stranded Cuvier's beaked whales have been reported in Ireland over the last week, a figure which an Irish conservation group has said is "a definite cause for concern".

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) said the stranded animals were discovered between August 3rd and August 7th.

The group also noted that more Cuvier’s beaked whales may have died but not washed ashore or been reported during the period.

Three dead Cuvier's beaked whales were reported on August 4th – one floating in Sheephaven Bay, Co Donegal, one on Gola Island, and one at Tirraun on the Mullet peninsula, Co Mayo.

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The whales had reportedly likely been dead for several days and were in poor condition.

Images of the whale on Gola Island were posted on Facebook by the Donegal branch of the IWDG on Monday.

The IWDG was subsequently alerted to two more discoveries of stranded Cuvier’s beaked whales, one on August 3rd at Omey Island, Co Galway, and the other at Cliffony, Co Sligo, on August 7th.

Speaking following the initial reports on August 4th, the IWDG said: “It would be relatively normal to record three or four strandings of this species in Ireland in any one year but it is highly unusual to have three recorded in separate locations on the one day.”

There are a total of 78 records of stranded Cuvier’s beaked whales on the Irish strandings database.