Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch (MWDW) has been at the forefront of marine mammal science on the Isle of Man since 2006.
We work voluntarily year round to ensure the safeguarding of whales, dolphins, and porpoises (cetaceans) in Manx territorial waters through non-invasive research and public awareness efforts.
Moonlight & Starlight
Our resident dolphins
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Thanks to Andy Craine for this lovely photo of Moonlight and Starlight in Peel bay on Sunday. This is the first photo we have seen of the resident pair since October and it is clear that Starlight has grown considerably but is still not yet adult size. If anyone else has any recent pictures of the pair over the last few months please drop us a message. Ideally we are looking for high quality DSLR photo's as mobile pictures/footage aren't usually good enough quality. With higher quality photos we should be able to see if Starlight still has any visible foetal folds (vertical pale lines on the skin from where she/he was curled up in the womb), publications from the Moray Firth (where mother Moonlight is from) state that some youngsters retain these folds for up to three years of age. Starlight is now 17 months old. Additionally, quality photo's of the dorsal fin may show us whether Starlight has any distinguishable cuts or scars on the dorsal fin.
*Seeking images* Our resident bottlenose dolphins Moonlight and Starlight have been very active recently, they visited Peel for 6 consecutive days from Tuesday 16th and this morning they popped up in Ramsey bay. They have been extremely close to shore and putting on quite impressive displays. We have seen virtually no good quality images of the pair since October last year, which is due to the weather and time of year. If anyone has DSLR photo's of these dolphins between October and now please can you get in touch. These images may be really useful in establishing how Starlight has developed in the last 5 months. Thank you
Moonlight and Starlight paying a quick visit to Peel Bay on a lovely Sunday afternoon! Always worth a look out when it's calm 🐬
Recent sightings in Manx waters
| Date | Time | Species | Total | Duration | Location | Observer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/02/2021 | 17:00 | Bottlenose Dolphin | 4 | 5 |
Niarbyl |
Chris Watterson |
| 03/02/2021 | 15:10 | Bottlenose Dolphin | 2 | 10 |
Peel Bay |
Mandy Hewes |
| 02/02/2021 | 16:15 | Bottlenose Dolphin | 2 | 10 |
Peel bay |
Janis |
| 27/01/2021 | 16:00 | Bottlenose Dolphin | 30 | 45 |
The Sound to Port Erin bay |
Nhodsom, Adam Creggin |
| 27/01/2021 | 15:15 | Bottlenose Dolphin | 2 | 5 |
Peel bay |
Lisa Gale, Mandy Hewes |
| 27/01/2021 | 14:25 | Bottlenose Dolphin | 12 | 20 |
Laxey Bay |
David Bellamy & Robert Fisher |
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