Marine Mammals

 

The biodiversity of Marine Mammals in Northern Ireland compares very favourably with land mammals. In fact, approximately half of our recorded native mammals are marine species.
Eight species of cetacean (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and two species of seal, either inhabit the area or visit our coastal waters annually.
Common seals are widespread throughout the coast but are most abundant in the sheltered waters around County Down, where Strangford Lough is the main pupping site.

Grey seals prefer the more rugged and exposed coasts of County Antrim and the open coasts of County Down from the mouth of Belfast Lough to that of Strangford Lough.
Both the common and grey seals of the region appear to be part of large, mobile populations that move to areas around the Irish coast and the west coast of Scotland where haul-out and pupping sites are available, food is plentiful and levels of disturbance are low.

They are both animals fully protected under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and are listed under the EC Habitats Directive as species whose conservation may require the designation of Special Areas of Conservation.

Irish waters are also some of the most important in Europe for cetaceans (whales and dolphins) with 24 species having been recorded to date.
In Northern Ireland, 8 species of whale and dolphin are regularly sighted including the harbour porpoise, the common dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin and the minke whale.
Killer whales, long-finned pilot whales and Risso's dolphins are also occasionally observed at sea.

Historical records of strandings show that 16 different species of cetacean have been found washed up on our coast.
These include relatively rare species such the Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale and most notably, a single record of a blue whale stranding at Magilligan in 1907.