(21.05 Update below – and You Tube link) There have been regular reports of a minke whale sighted in Loch Long – up by Arrochar – over the last 3-4 weeks.l we reported on the latest one a couple of days ago and contacted the appropriate the necessary agencies.
We have now heard again from Carol Illingworth who took the photograph shown here just over an hour ago.
It was taken at Ardmay Bay, just south of Arrochar at the head of Loch Long.
Carol says: ‘
What we have just witnessed has been quite distressing.
‘The whale is continually raising it’s tail fin and bashing it down towards the water until it just looks too tired to carry on.’
The Illingworths have notified the SSPCA and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue people – who will engage but who are stretched with the multiple strandings of pilot whales at Anstruther in Fire today. 16 have died and 10 have been saved.)
We are now about to contact the relevant agencies as well. This whale clearly needs expert help as a matter of urgency.
The whale has now been sighted a few times in the Ardmay area so that may be some sort of base at the moment.
21.05 update: We have also contacted the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust in Tobermory, who, although Loch Long is not their territory, will make contacts to see what can be done. They won’t get anyone until the morning but night time is probably not much use anyway.
They confirm that the whale’s reported behaviour seems stressed; and say that if the whale has been in Loch Long for 3 or 4 weeks it will not have waten and will be weakening.
It may be a minke, as initially reported or it may be a bottlenose whale.
Minkes are about 30 feet long with a dolphin-like nose. Bottlenose whales have bulbpus heads and a pronounced bottlenose.
It would be helpful if everyone who has seen it on Loch Long, tried to detail what they are seeing and let us know by phone: 01499 500677. It does seem to have stayed around the top section of Loch Long, north of Loch Goil and has been seen off Ardmay on at least two occasions.
23.30 update: carol Illingworth took a video of the whale;s behaviour in Loch Long and has now published it here on You Tube.
17.30 3rd September update: Latest information in new story: Loch Long’s distressed Minke whale may be a Northern Bottlenose,
http://forargyll.com/2012/09/loch-longs-distressed-minke-whale-may-be-a-northern-bottlenose/
Loch Long website ardentinny.org last week published a photo of a minke/dolphin/porpoise off Coulport and reported sighting to British Divers Marine Rescue. I wonder if these sightings are related? http://ardentinny.org/2012/08/28/porpoise-or-minke-whale/
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This is very sad. It was only a few weeks ago that a Minke was washed up at Wemyss Bay – possibly the two had been in company.
Is it just me or do there seem to be an increased number of strandings these days?
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Is this a co-incidence too? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19461840
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Carol Illingworth, who reported the sightings to us and who took the photo and video footage on You Tube, has just let us know this:
‘We heard from the British Marine Divers Association this morning having viewed the You Tube footage and they advise that this type of behaviour is often associated with the whale stunning fish to eat, which makes sense given that there are huge shoals of mackerel in the loch at present…however they were going to liaise with other agencies for further opinions. I just wondered if some of your readers might have any comments to support this view.’
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Pingback: Argyll News: Loch Long’s distressed Minke whale may be a Northern Bottlenose | For Argyll
Any update?
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todays local newspaper, Helensburgh Advertiser has a story saying its a humpback whale.
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Seen the Minke whale again twice today, about 3pm and 4pm. 100yrds off shore at Portincaple, Loch Long. Just swimming about 5mph towards the mouth of the loch, breaking the surface like a porpoise, but much longer.
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