West Cork

Whale watching in Ireland, and particularly in West Cork, has now reached a peak for whale and dolphin watchers all over the world. During the early 1990s, the Irish government declared Ireland's coastal waters a whale and dolphin sanctuary. The first of its kind in Europe, it paved the way for whale watching in Ireland to become a popular activity for the country's many visitors. Coastal waters off the southwest coast of Ireland serve as a summer feeding ground for a variety of whale species and a year-round home for a number of resident dolphin species, including the Harbour Porpoise.

Fin Whales and Minke Whales are among the baleen whales commonly seen off Ireland's south coast, making whale watching in Ireland some of the best in Europe. Off the southwest coast, humpback whales can also be seen. These large marine mammals can be seen just a few kilometers offshore and feed on a variety of small shoaling fish in Irish waters for more than seven months of the year.

In Irish waters, 24 different species of whales and dolphins have been observed. Over 12 cetacean species have been spotted in West Cork waters in recent years, making it one of the richest areas in Ireland for whale and dolphin watching. Irish whale watching has definitely taken off in West Cork, with a wide variety of species present for more than half of the year. Minke Whales begins to arrive off the coast in March. Fin Whales usually arrives in late summer/early autumn. Both species remain active until early winter, providing some spectacular opportunities to see these large marine mammals only a few kilometers from the coast if sea conditions are favorable. The less predictable Humpback Whales traditionally arrive during autumn months.

Location: Ireland