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Wildlife info
Information on some of the fantastic animals that
we encounter on our tours.
What the
papers said...
Click here for
new sightings 2008
The gannet
Gannets are large black and white
birds, with long pointed
wings and long bills. Gannets hunt
fish by
diving from a height into the sea and pursuing their prey underwater. Gannets
have a number of adaptations which enable them to do this, they have no external
nostrils, they have air sacs in their face
and chest under their skin which act like
bubble wrap, cushioning
the impact with the water,
their eyes are positioned far enough forward on their
face to give them
binocular vision,
allowing them to judge distances accurately.
Gannets can dive from a height of 30 meters, achieving speeds of 100 km/h as
they strike the water, enabling them to catch fish much deeper than most
airborne birds.
The puffin
These are
pelagic seabirds
that feed primarily by diving. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or
offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. All
three puffin species have large
bills.
 They
shed the colourful outer parts of their bills after the breeding season, leaving
a smaller and duller beak. Their short wings are adapted for swimming with a
flying technique under water. In the air they beat their wings rapidly (up to
100 times per minute) in swift flight, often flying low over the ocean's
surface. puffins eat both
fish and
zooplankton,
but feed their chicks primarily with small marine fish several times a day.
The Great cormorant
The Great Cormorant is a large black bird,
77-94 cm in length with a 121-149 cm wingspan.
 It has a longish tail and yellow
throat patch. Adults have white thigh patches in the breeding season. In
European waters it can be
distinguished from the Common Shag by its larger
size, heavier build, thicker bill, lack of a crest and plumage
without any green tinge. The Great Cormorant can dive to considerable depths,
but often feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface such
as various fish and eels etc.
The Seals
In
Britain and Ireland, the Grey Seal breeds in several colonies on and around the
coasts; notably large colonies are at the Farne Islands off the Northumberland
Coast (about 6,000 animals), North Rona off the north coast of Scotland, Lambay
Island off the coast of Dublin and Ramsey Island off the coast of Pembrokeshire. During
the winter months they can be seen hauled out on the rocks, islands, and shoals
not far from
 shore, like great grey bananas in the sun, and occasionally coming
ashore to rest. In the spring the recently weaned pups and yearlings
occasionally strand on beaches after becoming "lost". The Common Seal (UK, Ireland), Harbour Seal
(U.S.), Phoca vitulina is a true seal found along temperate and arctic marine
coastlines of the Northern hemisphere. Characterized as showing a strong degree
of site fidelity in their choice of resting sites, they may spend several days
at sea and travel up to 50 kilometres in search of feeding grounds, and will
also swim some distance upstream into freshwater in large rivers.
 Common
seals are brown, tan, or grey, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. An adult can
attain a length of 1.85 meters and a mass of 130 kilos. Females outlive males
(30-35 years versus 20-25 years). Common seals stick to familiar resting spots,
generally rocky areas where land predators can't reach them, near a steady
supply of fish to eat. Pups are able to swim and dive within hours of birth, and
they grow quickly on their mothers' milk.
The Dolphins and Whales
Click here for
new sightings 2008
Dolphins are aquatic mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises.
They vary in size from 1.2 metres (4 ft) and 40 kilograms (88 lb), up to 9.5 m
(30 ft) and ten tonnes (the Orca or Killer Whale).
They
are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves,
and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. Dolphins are considered to be
amongst the most intelligent of animals and their often friendly appearance and
seemingly playful attitude have made them popular in human culture.
A group of dolphins can be called a "school" or a "pod". Male dolphins are
called "bulls", females "cows" and young dolphins are called "calves. Every 5-8
minutes, the Bottlenose Dolphin, like all other dolphins, needs to rise to the
surface to breathe
through its blowhole, though it generally breathes more frequently - up to
several times per minute. Its sleep is thus very light; some scientists have
suggested that the two halves of its brains take turns in sleeping and
waking. The species is commonly known for its friendly character and curiosity
towards humans immersed in or near water. It is not uncommon for a diver to be
investigated by a group of them. Occasionally, dolphins have rescued injured
divers by raising them to the surface, a behaviour they also show towards
injured members of their own species. Such accounts have earned them the
nickname of "Man's best friend of the sea". The Bottlenose Dolphin is grey,
varying from dark grey at the top near the dorsal fin to very light grey and
almost white at the underside. This makes it hard to see, both from above and
below, when swimming. Its elongated upper and lower jaws form what is called a
rostrum, or beak-like snout, which gives the animal its
common name.
 Like
all mammals, whales breathe air into lungs, are warm-blooded, feed their young
milk from mammary glands, and have some (although very little) hair. Whales
breathe through blowholes, located on the top of the head so the animal can
remain submerged. Baleen whales have two; toothed whales have one. The shapes of
whales' spouts when exhaling after a dive, when seen from the right angle,
differ between species. Whales have a unique respiratory system that lets them
stay underwater for long periods of time without taking in oxygen. Some whales,
such as the Sperm Whale, can stay underwater for up to two hours holding a
single breath. The Blue Whale is the largest known mammal that has ever lived,
and the largest living animal, at up to 35 m (105ft) long and 150 tons.
 Killer
whales hunt in deadly pods, family groups of up to 40 individuals. There appear
to be both resident and transient pod populations of killer whales. These
different groups may prey on different animals and use different techniques to
catch them. Resident pods tend to prefer fish, while transient pods target
marine mammals. All pods use effective, cooperative hunting techniques that some
liken to the behaviour of wolf packs.
Orcas,
or killer whales, are the largest of the porpoises and one of the world's most
powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and
even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches (ten centimetres) long.
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