The Isle of Man’s Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch has received almost 100 whale and dolphin sighting reports this year, compared with about 20 last year and eight the year before. Marine experts call it the best year since 2010; Jen Adams says abundant food is the main factor.
Adams said dolphin numbers had held steady. Bottlenose dolphins return in October and stay until March, with winter groups sometimes reaching 150 or 200; she said calm autumn and winter days offer the best chance of seeing them. The island’s resident pair, Moonlight and Starlight, are still seen regularly and rarely mix with other pods.
Adams said the west coast saw large blooms of pink-coloured plankton this summer. The article says Manx waters were full of zooplankton, including copepods, tiny shrimp-like animals eaten by basking sharks.
