John Coe and Aquarius surprise onlookers in Northern Ireland
John Coe and Aquarius were reported swimming into Strangford Lough, Co. Down in Northern Ireland last Friday, much to the EXCITEMENT of onlookers.
Globally, killer whales – also known as orcas – are one of the most widespread cetaceans, ranging from warm tropical waters to the polar regions. In Scottish waters there are two well-known communities of killer whales. The West Coast Community can be spotted along the whole of the west coast of the UK, with most sightings recorded in the Hebrides. Scotland’s other group of killer whales, the Northern Isles Community, are mainly seen around Orkney, Shetland and the north coast of Scotland. From the amazing footage captured in Northern Ireland on Friday from shore, various boats and even a drone, it was clear that the two male killer whales were from the West Coast Community. John Coe is the most distinct individual in the community, and is identifiable by the large notch in the bottom of his dorsal fin. The other male that could be seen was Aquarius, who is less distinctive but also easily recognisable and is often seen alongside John Coe.
Our team at HWDT has been documenting the group’s movements and interactions since 1994, when the charity was established. The community are not known to interact with other populations in the north-east Atlantic and have never successfully reproduced since records began. It was thought that there were 10 individuals within the community in the early 1990s, however only sightings of John Coe and Aquarius have been confirmed in recent years.
John Coe and Aquarius seen on our December winter survey
Killer whales are facing many threats, including the devastating effects of invisible toxic pollutants called PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which are known to cause poor health and infertility. The west coast community has been severely impacted by PCBs . Lulu, one of the females in the population, was found dead and stranded in 2016 with the highest level of PCB pollution ever recorded in the species. Lulu’s necropsy also showed she had never even been pregnant, despite being sexually mature. Read more about the stranding here.
The last confirmed sighting of John Coe and Aquarius in the Hebrides occurred in March, with another possible sighting of John Coe in April. The pair have been spotted in the Hebrides around the same time in March for the last few years, with sightings often reported in Ireland shortly after. In 2018, after being spotted north of Mull they were spotted over 600 kilometres away off Dingle in Ireland just seven days later. Is this a pattern we will continue to see?
The encounter in Northern Ireland demonstrated the universal love that the public have for killer whales and the excitement that an encounter with these incredible animals can bring. However, it also highlights the importance of responsible whale watching practices. Some of the footage captured on Friday showed the whales moving at a rapid pace, which is a sign of disturbance. It is our responsibility to protect these animals and follow the wildlife watching code at all times. With these individuals potentially being the last remaining animals in the community, it is a privilege to see them and they should be treasured and respected for as long they remain in our waters.
John Coe seen on our December winter survey
“Seeing killer whales in the wild is on the top of many wildlife enthusiasts lists, including mine. I have been lucky enough to encounter the west coast community twice, once whilst on our research vessel Silurian. This encounter was particularly special, as we were the only boat in the area and we were able to turn the engines off, observing them from a far before the whales swam over towards the boat. Aquarius even lifted his head vertically out of the water, a behaviour known as spy hopping, seemingly as curious about us as were of them.”
Every sighting is crucial in advancing our understanding of this population. Most of what we know about this small and isolated population comes from photographs submitted to us by members of the public. If you’ve seen killer whales on the west coast, we’d love to hear about it. Sightings can quickly and easily be submitted on Whale Track, which is available as a free smartphone app or online. Historical records are equally as important! If you have any information or photographs you can also contact us at sightings@hwdt.org.