Wildlife

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Sharks and Dolphins

Basking sharks, the second largest fish after whale sharks, are filter feeders with more teeth than any other shark. They frequent Dingle Bay and the Blasket Islands from late April to June, filter feeding up to 1.5 million litres of water per hour to feed on plankton.

Common dolphins, reaching up to 2.7 meters in length, feed on mackerel, herring, and squid by corralling fish into bait balls at the surface from April to October.

Bottlenose dolphins, measuring 2.5 to 3.8 meters, are active and interactive, sometimes aggressive towards smaller porpoises, and feed on salmon, blue whiting, whiting, and pollock from April to October.

Risso’s dolphins, around 3.2 meters long, have a bulbous head with no beak, and their color changes from dark grey to pale or even white with age due to extensive social scarring, while feeding primarily on squid, octopus, and cuttlefish.

Minke whales, 8.5 to 10 meters long, have a distinctive white band around each flipper, are generally wary of boats but sometimes approach them while spy hopping, and feed on sprat, sand eels, and herring from spring to winter.

Humpback whales, 14 to 17 meters long and black with elongated white flippers, often breach, flipper slap, and tail-fluke before deep dives, feeding on sprat, herring, and krill in July, September, and October.

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Seals and Birds

Grey seals, one of the largest seal colonies on West Atlantic Coast, with males reaching 2.5 meters and 300 kg, have horse-like faces and spotted grey coats, breed between September and December, feeding on fish, squid, and octopus; they are protected under Irish law, with key pupping grounds on the west coast, and are skilled divers, reaching depths of 70 meters for up to 30 minutes.

Puffins, active from March to August, nest in burrows or cliff cracks on offshore islands safe from predators, sometimes evicting rabbits, and spend winters far out at sea; they feed on fish and crustaceans.

Arctic terns, present on Irish coasts from March to September and wintering off South Africa, are concentrated in Co. Wexford, Co. Kerry, Co. Mayo, and Co. Donegal, feeding on marine fish, crustaceans, and insects.

Gannets, large white birds approximately 1 meter long, are found along all Irish coasts, plunge diving for fish at depths of up to 40 meters, with the largest colony in Ireland located at Little Skelligs in Kerry, hosting up to 26,000 nests.

Guillemots, Irish residents that winter at sea near their breeding nests and are often confused with razorbills, feed on small fish and invertebrates caught by surface diving, and come ashore to nest in large colonies on cliffs from May onwards.

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Shags, medium-sized dark seabirds found along the Irish coast, feed on small fish taken just below the surface and nest on ledges, in caves, or under boulders.

Cormorants, large dark seabirds often seen drying their wings, primarily feed on fish and breed in colonies mostly along the Irish coast, with some nesting inland.

Razorbills, black and white seabirds often mistaken for guillemots, primarily feed on small fish and some invertebrates caught by surface diving, and winter at sea.

Storm petrels, summer visitors from April to August, have straight bills with hooked tips and tube-shaped nostrils for salt excretion, feeding on small fish, plankton, and crustaceans; they breed in colonies on islands off the west coast, with the largest populations in Co. Kerry, particularly on Inishtooskert in the Blasket Archipelago.

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The Great Blasket Island Experience explores the best Dingle has to offer. A place known rich in wildlife, history nature and literary heritage, we offer unique eco tours and unforgettable overnight stays.