Arrival of bottlenose dolphins thrill onlookers around Strangford Lough

Arrival of bottlenose dolphins thrill onlookers around Strangford Lough

5 April 2023

STRANGFORD Lough’s latest tourist attraction is bringing visitors to the area in their thousands.

A pair of dolphins have been thrilling passengers on the ferry for over a fortnight.

The bottlenose dolphins — one of which has been identified as ‘Squiggle’ — have been following the ferry “like clockwork” on its half-hourly journeys between Strangford and Portaferry.

Dolphins, porpoises and even killer whales have been known to visit the lough, but they seldom stay for such a long time.

Squiggle, which has been recorded swimming in Scottish waters, was identified by markings on its dorsal fin. At the moment Squiggle’s partner remains unknown.

“It’s rare and exciting,” said Nicholas Baker-Horne, a research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast.

“Almost like clockwork the ferry does its signal that it is about to leave and then suddenly the dolphins change their behaviour and they speed up follow the ferry.

Dr Baker-Horne continued: “It’s rare to see them hanging around for such a long time. We get dolphins once every so often coming into the lough, but it’s usually a fleeting visit.

“They look like nice, fat, chunky dolphins which we like to see around the coasts of the UK and Ireland. Hopefully they are here hunting and surviving well.

“It does look like they are showing hunting behaviour as they are hanging around each pier in Strangford and Portaferry. It’s 

really exciting.”

However, one note of caution. Dolphins are not the cuddly creatures we may think them to be. One of the pair was photographed attacking a porpoise.