Risso’s dolphins around the Isle of Man
Safe-guarding nursery grounds for our dolphins
The problem
The UK population is extra special as it has been shown to be genetically distinct to the Risso’s dolphins in the Mediterranean.
We know very little about how and where Risso’s dolphins live or even how many there are in our waters.
These unique dolphins and their calves can be seen in Manx waters in the summer months, so this area appears to be important for the species, particularly for raising offspring. If the dolphins are disturbed through human use of the area this will affect the stability of this population.
The solution
PTES intern Bryony Manley is now working with the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch to get a better insight into Risso’s habits.
Thanks to our funds they can now deploy two C-PODs (a type of acoustic monitor) to collect detections of the dolphins. They will also carry out visual surveys to ensure best detection rates.
This will help us find out when and how the marine mammals are using the waters around the island- vital for us to highlight the importance of specific areas and protect them.
Latest news
- Follow Bryony’s project blog from the Isle of Man
- Project report