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Andy Smith and Dermot Henry shared video footage with IWDG. IWDG/Vimeo

First case of grey seal preying on a harbour porpoise recorded in Ireland

The incident was documented off Co Louth last month.

THE FIRST CASE of a grey seal preying on a porpoise has been recorded in Ireland, according to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG).

The report initially came in on Sunday 14 November from Clogher Head in Co. Louth.

The man who witnessed the incident, Andy Smith, happened to be fishing off the pier as it played out. He contacted the IWDG about it and shared video footage of the attack.

Smith said he and another man saw a porpoise calf killed by a large male seal, something IWDG said was a “rare event” in Irish waters, adding that it was “rarer still” to capture it on video.

“Thankfully there were no kids around to witness it. Nature raw in tooth and claw I suppose,” he told Pádraig Whooley, the IWDG Sightings Officer.

Having inspected the footage, IWDG said an adult male grey seal can be seen with a harbour porpoise in it’s mouth.

“The seal appears to be attempting to drown its victim before commencing to feed on it,” Whooley said.

While this may be a rare sight in Irish waters it’s not all that uncommon abroad.

An eight year study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal of biological science back in 2015 exposed grey seals as a major predator of other harbour species.

The cause of many porpoise remains washing up on beaches in the Netherlands was previously unknown, but it was revealed grey seals were preying on them.

That meant seals, and fishing “bycatch” (catching a species not originally intended in fishing nets and causing injury or death) were two of the biggest risks to porpoises off the Netherlands.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin group says this raises many questions about grey seal behaviour here:

  • Is this a new behaviour for Irish based seals?
  • Is it an established behaviour that’s just never been filmed before?
  • Could the grey seal involved in the attack be resident here, or have migrated from abroad?
  • Is this one grey seal that picked up this behaviour likely to pass it on to others?
  • What are the implications of this for the harbour porpoise population at Clogher Head, and particularly North Dublin as it has a high density population.

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    Mute Seamus West
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    May 27th 2013, 4:39 PM

    The headline “Ireland’s proximity to Europe…”, I alawys thought we were in Europe!!

    93
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    Mute Gar.
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    May 27th 2013, 5:29 PM

    So what if its only one job. Every job created needs to be advertised to get people’s spirits up. Some moaners love doom and gloom.

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    May 27th 2013, 5:30 PM

    Nicely said Gar!

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    Mute stupidlambu
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    May 27th 2013, 5:39 PM

    Af for god sake people cop on and wake up this is nothing in the scheme of things and also it is over 3yrs and we dont know if they are well paying or not.

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    Mute Maria Farrell
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    May 27th 2013, 5:49 PM

    @ Stupidlambu
    It’s not about how long they take to create all the jobs or how well they pay. I come from Kells and this will be a huge boost to the town. The loss of Quinn Insurance and the collapse of the construction industry was a massive blow to employment for young people in the town. I personally welcome any new employment opportunities for my friends and family.

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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    May 27th 2013, 6:43 PM

    You might call this negative, but as long as people in this country cant be bothered to get up off their a***s and provide themselves with employment by their own enterprising efforts ,they will continue to always rely on others to provide the jobs.

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    Mute Mgt Helena Byrne
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    May 28th 2013, 12:48 AM

    So true!!

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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    May 27th 2013, 4:37 PM

    Next they will be announcing that the local chipper employed someone.

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    Mute Mark Garrigan
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    May 27th 2013, 4:30 PM

    Woo hoo!All them jobs over the next 3 years….Well done

    51
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    Mute marcus de paor
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    May 27th 2013, 4:27 PM

    The government has an action plan for jobs ?…. now that’s news. .. though it was just an action plan for debt hobbling and emigration. … still good news for kells and it’s people…. lovely town

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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    May 27th 2013, 4:46 PM

    Don’t want to cynical but why must all employees come from the live register? Are these JobBridge positions? €50 a week jobs?

    Let’s hope they’re real jobs but here’s another question. If its part of the Succeed-In-Ireland program who gets the €1,500+ reward per job? No problem if it’s a genuine effort on someone’s part to get this company here but would love to know if they have FG connections

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    Mute Hubert Morris
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    May 28th 2013, 10:56 AM

    I will and I’m a member of FF party

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    Mute Adam Hurley
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    May 27th 2013, 4:56 PM

    Moan Moan Moan Moan Moan….now I feel like I fit in.

    34
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    Mute Vincent Dolan
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    May 27th 2013, 5:29 PM

    You need to throw in a “unsecured bond holders” somewhere to truly belong…

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    Mute W.j.d.
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    May 27th 2013, 5:55 PM

    If only 1 person gets to stay and live in the country of their birth…. It’s a start….

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    Mute Declan Hickey
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    May 27th 2013, 5:55 PM

    Sweet Jesus where are the muppets in government when 70 jobs are lost at once? Oh wait…they couldn’t be arsed.

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    Mute Declan Carr
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    May 27th 2013, 6:11 PM

    Good news for the people of Kells that is if any of the people of Kells get the any of the jobs, and do you have any idea what year it is going to happen?

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    Mute Pablo
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    May 27th 2013, 6:50 PM

    What is basalt fibre and what is it used for? Sounds like there will be manufacturing at the plant and thats a good thing..

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    Mute Jangles
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    May 27th 2013, 9:13 PM

    Its replacing the local hemp fibre industry recently busted by the Gardai.

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    Mute Pablo
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    May 27th 2013, 9:58 PM

    Put my name down for a job so. Ill bring me own lamps..

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    Mute Mark Copas
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    May 27th 2013, 6:26 PM

    Wondering here when next big business shuts will minister be there for photos. Ida is bankrolling all new business. Fecking joke

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    Mute Michael Lawlor
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    May 28th 2013, 2:17 PM

    Some people just love pissing and moaning about everything… probably why the country has always messed up to many whiners with negative outlooks.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    May 27th 2013, 9:11 PM

    Anyone know what Basalt Fibre is?

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    May 27th 2013, 9:19 PM

    I googled it. It’s a bit like fibreglass but has different properties.
    There is no basalt in Meath though, as far as I know. Antrim is the only place in the island you find basalt.

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    Mute Arbuthnot Fink
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    May 28th 2013, 2:21 AM

    BASALT!

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