Cornwall’s dolphins can claim English nationality
Wildlife Trust calls for protection to safeguard pod that permanently lives off Cornish coast
THE first English dolphins have been discovered off the coast of Cornwall, with scientists confirming that a small pod is entirely native to southern shores.
Cornwall is well known for its dolphin population, which can often be seen riding the waves alongside surfers, and leaping from the sea to greet tourist boats. But it was always thought the mammals migrated, roaming from the southern Irish Sea to the Bay of Biscay throughout the year.
Now an 11-year monitoring project by the University of Plymouth and Cornwall Wildlife Trust has shown that a social group of 28 bottlenose dolphins resides permanently off the English coast.
“This research is proof that we have a resident population and is incredibly exciting,” said Ruth Williams, Marine Conservation Manager at Cornwall Wildlife Trust. “The future of these animals is in our hands and we need to make sure the few we currently have in the south-west are given the protection not just to survive, but to thrive.”
Britain has two other resident dolphin populations, in the Moray Firth in Scotland and in Cardigan Bay in Wales. Both have been granted Marine Protection Area (MPA) status, which prevents too much interference from humans. Conservationists now want the English dolphin pod to have the same protection.
Bottlenose dolphins in the south- west are already threatened by pollution, plastics, fishing nets, and disturbance from recreational activities. Around 1,000 dolphins wash up on British and French beaches each year after becoming tangled in fishing equipment. However until the existence of a resident population was confirmed, nothing could be done to protect the animals.
To find out if a native population existed, Rebecca Dudley, from the University of Plymouth, analysed sightings and photographs of dolphins in the region between 2007 and 2016, studying their social structure and distribution.
Individual dolphins can be recognised by their dorsal fin, with its distinctive shape and markings. After studying thousands of records, she identified 98 individuals and was able to define a distinct social group of dolphins which is present throughout the year in shallow coastal waters around the Cornish coast.
Dr Jean-luc Solandt, Principal Specialist, Marine Protected Areas, for the Marine Conservation Society, said: “A resident pod of dolphins should allow us to create bespoke protection for a defined range for the animals. Many areas of the sea are hotspots for dolphins and whales because of the presence of large amounts of prey, either coming from or residing in deep waters.
“This makes them stay in the areas of such favourable food sources for considerable amounts of time, making an area-based protection mechanism such as a Marine Protection Area really effective.”
The WWF also called for greater protection for the new dolphin pod. “This discovery is a further reminder of the importance of UK waters for marine mammals like dolphins and whales,” said Alec Taylor, marine governance programme manager for WWF.
“There are still gaps in our protections for whales, dolphins and basking sharks in the UK and it is essential that these are filled as soon as possible.”
‘ This research is proof that we have a resident population and is incredibly exciting’