The Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation has identified that a humpback whale has taken up residence in the Shannon Estuary for the first time ever.
First sighted off the coast of Killimer on the 26th of November last year, the whale has continued to thrive feeding on the high volumes of sprat in the estuary and has been confirmed as the 136th whale unique to Irish waters.
The whale is believed to be no older than two years old thanks to estimates based off drone footage captured which identified the animal to be just under eight metres in length.
Chief Science Officer and Acting CEO of the IWDG, Simon Berrow, says the whale is here to feed prior to migrating to West Africa and emphasised the importance of not causing major disruption to that process.
You can listen to the full interview here:
