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‘Gentle giants’: Irish basking shark hot spots identified after more than 2,700 sightings
🇮🇪 Ireland /Environment & Climate

‘Gentle giants’: Irish basking shark hot spots identified after more than 2,700 sightings

From Irish Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • New research has identified "hot spots" for basking sharks off the Irish coast, based on over 2,700 sightings recorded between 1978 and 2024.
  • Key areas include Malin Head (Donegal), the Blasket Islands (Kerry), and the coast of Cork, with sightings most common from April to May.
  • Scientists suggest the increase in sightings may be due to habitat shifts, increased human activity like drone use, and potentially climate change affecting plankton distribution.

An increase in basking shark sightings along the Irish coast has led researchers to pinpoint specific "hot spots" for these gentle giants. Scientists from the Irish Basking Shark Group (IBSG) analyzed 46 years of data, from 1978 to 2024, examining seasonal patterns and environmental factors influencing the sharks' presence.

Ireland has become a “stronghold”

— Dr Ruth H LeeneyDescribing Ireland's importance for the basking shark population.

The study, which compiled 2,718 sightings, revealed an "uptick" in recent years, with notable peaks in 2009, 2010, and 2020. The identified hotspots are Malin Head in County Donegal, the Blasket Islands in County Kerry, and the coast of County Cork. These areas typically see the most activity from April to May, though rarer sightings occur in August and September. A distinct late-summer hotspot was also noted near Loop Head in County Clare.

difficult to disentangle

— Dr Ruth H LeeneyReferring to the factors influencing the increase in reported sightings.

Basking sharks, the second-largest shark species and globally endangered, can reach up to 11 meters in length. Dr. Ruth H. Leeney of the IBSG noted that Ireland has become a "stronghold" for the species. While a single reason for the increase in Irish waters remains elusive, the probability of sightings correlates with environmental factors like plankton levels, rainfall, and wind speed. Dr. Leeney suggested that shifts in habitat use or behavior could also be contributing factors.

really important

— Dr Ruth H LeeneyEmphasizing the significance of basking sharks being spotted off Ireland.

She also pointed out that increased human presence in the water and the use of drones likely contribute to more reported sightings compared to the 1970s. However, she believes it's a combination of both increased shark numbers and more people reporting them. Climate change, affecting the distribution of zooplankton, the sharks' food source, could also play a role. While often seen feeding with mouths open, sharks observed in "torus" formations off Clare, with mouths closed, may be engaging in mating behavior. The sharks' wintering grounds remain unknown, though some tracked individuals have traveled between Ireland and Africa, while others may remain in Irish waters, moving between surface and deeper depths.

onus on us

— Dr Ruth H LeeneyHighlighting the responsibility of people to be careful sea users.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Irish Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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