Whales teem off Wales

An unusually high number of whales and dolphins have been spotted in the waters around south Wales.

Researchers are puzzled by the ‘Whale and dolphin bonanza’ of sightings reported this year off Pembrokeshire.

Visitors have been mainly Minke whales but have also included Fin whales and the rare Humpback variety.

15 Minke were spotted swimming in one group alone, compared to 31 in total over the preceeding seven years.

Dolphins and porpoises have also been migrating into waters off the Pembrokeshire coastline in huge numbers. Researchers are puzzled.

Such a major shift in marine behaviour could signal underlying problems in the animals’ usual area. For example, many of the Fin whales would normally be found in the Bay Of Biscay region.

Consensus is that the creatures are migrating further north due to global warming, depleted fish stocks or pollution.