A narwhal that washed up in Ireland has been confirmed as the first record of this polar species in Irish waters.
The young female whale was found by a family during a beach walk on the Inishowen Peninsular. The quick-thinking family realised that this could be something important and called experts who rushed to the scene to recover the carcass and take it for a post-mortem examination.
“As we await the results, NPWS will continue to work closely with our partners to monitor Ireland’s marine environment and to better understand the impacts of climate and ecological change on vulnerable species,” says Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in a statement.
“Each event like this reminds us of the importance of sustained scientific vigilance and public awareness in protecting our natural world.”
This is the first time that this elusive whale, which usually lives in the Arctic, has been seen in Irish waters. However, there have been a handful of strandings in England and Scotland, says the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG).
Narwhals are often called 'unicorns of the sea' because of their tusks, which were once sold as 'real' unicorn horns.
Male narwhals typically have a long tusk on their head, making them immediately identifiable. However, most females (including this individual) don’t have one. Even without the iconic tusk, “the only thing it could be was a narwhal,” says Stephanie Levesque, stranding officer at IWDG
The species isn’t usually seen outside of the Arctic so the experts are hoping that the post-mortem might shed more light into the animal’s health and perhaps help them figure out what brought it to Irish seas.
If the family hadn’t reported their sighting, we might still be none the wiser that this polar species is venturing into the waters off the coast of Ireland. “Clearly one stranding cannot display any trends but it does show the importance of our long-term monitoring schemes and the power of citizen scientists sending these reports to the IWDG,” says Dr Simon Berrow, CEO of the IWDG.
Although this is an extraordinary first for Ireland, it is concerning to find an Arctic animal this far south.
“Findings like this are a stark reminder of the vulnerability of wildlife in the face of a changing climate, and the need to protect them,” says Christopher O’Sullivan TD, Irish Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity.
- Scientists drop microphones to Arctic seabed, then 4m-long animals with huge tusks appear
- Incredible drone footage of narwhals in the Arctic reveals never-before-filmed behaviour
Top image: Narwhal on Sweet Nellies Beach in Greencastle, Ireland. Credit: Alena Kunkel, IWDG
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