Killer Whales in Irish Sea

Will I Am Not

Spotted by fishermen about 10 miles off the coast of Balbriggan/Skerries. I’d no idea they could be found there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgQZ6OfMfUM

smelly sock

Will I Am Not wrote: »

Spotted by fishermen about 10 miles off the coast of Balbriggan/Skerries. I’d no idea they could be found there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgQZ6OfMfUM

Its a hoax. It looks orca strated to me.

Gets coat.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Regular sighting in the Irish Sea but more common on the west coast.

cd07

Cool hopefully they get stuck into the local seal population round here!

recedite

AFAIK these would be fish eaters. There's some cultural differences between Orcas in the Atlantic and those in the Pacific. The latter tending to be less civilised, but more spectacular when filmed for wildlife documentaries.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

cd07 wrote: »

Cool hopefully they get stuck into the local seal population round here!

From the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group

Although anecdotal evidence suggests killer whales may predate on marine mammals in Ireland, there are few documented accounts of such interactions. Interestingly, grey seal colonies feature strongly on the list of Irish killer whale "hotspots".

recedite

from the same source...

The weight of informed opinion in Ireland is that killer whales in Irish waters are primarily fish eating, and fishermen whose sonar has on occasion shown them in pursuit of herring and mackerel shoals, support this. The Cork harbour killer whales, which were monitored over a 12 week period were never observed harassing seals, even though they were at times in close proximity to this potentially rich food source. Video evidence suggests that these whales were feeding on a mix of salmon and mullet. That said, members of the Scottish West Coast Community Group have been filmed attacking and killing harbour porpoises in the Hebrides, and harassing minke whales. So it is likely that they are also applying similar tactics when foraging in Irish waters.
Given their complex nature and high degree of intelligence it is hardly surprising that killer whales have developed different hunting strategies in different regions. The killer whales that enter the waters of Johnstone Strait, Vancouver Island in summer feed exclusively on salmon, by hunting them individually. Whereas those that winter in the Norwegian Fjords are exclusively herring eaters. Because of the smaller size and greater biomass of herring, the killer whales hunt co-operatively in large groups to maximize efficiency.

The killer whales of Peninsula Valdez, Argentina are predominantly marine mammal eaters. They have developed a spectacular, if somewhat risky strategy, of intentionally beaching themselves and snatching unsuspecting pups from the surf zone along the edge of the sea- lion colonies during the pupping season

Its an interesting topic. The Argentinian whales are the ones you will see on TV launching spectacular attacks on the beach. But maybe the old saying "never say never" applies.


I've noticed something similar with foxes in Wicklow over the last few years, their behaviour has totally changed. Most have no fear of people any more.
These are apparently spreading out from Dublin, but whether its a genetic or purely a cultural difference is very hard to say. Is it possible that different "strains" of an animal can behave differently?
I think the answer is yes, as you can see different working breeds of dogs are born different instincts (eg sheepdogs, retrievers) or at least "a propensity" to certain kinds of behaviour.

John_Rambo

I've seen killer whales in Dublin bay in 2010 & 2014. I've seen pods of dolphins and lots or porpoises and whales, not sure what the whales were, but they were big and they're blow holes smelt of fish.

cd07

recedite wrote:

AFAIK these would be fish eaters. There's some cultural differences between Orcas in the Atlantic and those in the Pacific. The latter tending to be less civilised, but more spectacular when filmed for wildlife documentaries.

Yea I guess but the waters of the Irish sea wouldn't be the most prolific of fishing waters! Unless for mullet which wouldn't be so far out. My guess is they're briefly passing through

Half-cocked

cd07 wrote: »

Yea I guess but the waters of the Irish sea wouldn't be the most prolific of fishing waters! Unless for mullet which wouldn't be so far out. My guess is they're briefly passing through

Sea anglers reporting a late run of mackeral. Might be a factor?

cd07

Half-cocked wrote:

Sea anglers reporting a late run of mackeral. Might be a factor?

Yes theres a good run of late mackerel but still couldn't see enough fish to draw two orcas! Just passing through I reckon

recedite

RTE news running the video today, but without the soundtrack

jimbobaloobob

recedite wrote: »

RTE news running the video today, but without the soundtrack

They just played the soundtrack on the rte radio news

magicbastarder

i hope one of them shouted out 'we're gonna need a bigger boat'.
would have been a missed opportunity not to.

recedite

John_Rambo wrote: »

I've seen killer whales in Dublin bay in 2010 & 2014. I've seen pods of dolphins and lots or porpoises and whales, not sure what the whales were, but they were big and they're blow holes smelt of fish.

That is fairly darned close, if you could smell their breath.
Not sure I'd want to be that close unless I was in a very big boat.

emo72

recedite wrote: »

RTE news running the video today, but without the soundtrack

Surprised they didn't Dub it with the jaws soundtrack.

recedite

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

They just played the soundtrack on the rte radio news

Half of it bleeped out I presume?

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina!

Penelope Huge Slang wrote: »

Regular sighting in the Irish Sea but more common on the west coast.

Would they attack people? Divers, surfers etc? Overturn boats, small yachts etc?

Are there may dangerous sharks in Irish waters?

What would be the most dangerous animal in the Irish Sea?

emo72

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina! wrote: »

What would be the most dangerous animal in the Irish Sea?

Humans.

New Home

And jellyfish, probably.

Rows Grower

I saw a pod of Killer Whales in the river Lee upstream from Pairc Ui Chaoimbh and below St. Patrick's Bridge about 15 years ago.

I think it was downstream of the bridge nearest Jury's Hotel. I had just collected my son from the train station, we were heading into the city center and we stopped to see what the crowd on the bridge was gathered for.

It was reported in the national news at the time, probably about 15 years ago.

Some sight in fairness.

jimbobaloobob

Ken o Sullivan's documentary on the Atlantic will show you what's in Irish waters it might be on the RTE player it was on recently and repeated last week.

Yester

Rows Grower wrote: »

I saw a pod of Killer Whales in the river Lee upstream from Pairc Ui Chaoimbh and below St. Patrick's Bridge about 15 years ago.

I think it was downstream of the bridge nearest Jury's Hotel. I had just collected my son from the train station, we were heading into the city center and we stopped to see what the crowd on the bridge was gathered for.

It was reported in the national news at the time, probably about 15 years ago.

Some sight in fairness.

Yeah, I was there that night, 2001 I think. It was some sight alright.

ThunderCat

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina! wrote: »

Would they attack people? Divers, surfers etc? Overturn boats, small yachts etc?

Are there may dangerous sharks in Irish waters?

What would be the most dangerous animal in the Irish Sea?

No recorded cases of wild Orca attacking humans apparently. There is even an adventure company up in Norway that brings people out swimming with a wild pod of them. Looks amazing.