Sharks prefer Cork coast, new fin-dings reveal!

Waters off the coast of Cork have been identified as a favourite hangout 'hotspot' for basking sharks, according to a newly published scientific paper.

Created by scientists from the Irish Basking Shark Group (IBSG), the paper draws on nearly half a century of records of sightings of the species.

Their findings indicate that basking shark sightings and group sizes have increased over time, peaking in spring and summer, likely due to concentrations of plankton.

Basking sharks are the second largest shark species globally, reaching 11m in length and is considered endangered globally.

As well as Cork, some other hotspots for the species in Ireland are the Blasket Islands off the coast of Kerry, and Malin Head in Donegal.

Dr Alexandra McInturf, who led the research, said the findings set Ireland apart from other countries.

She said: “The results of our work suggest that, unlike in many other parts of the world, basking sharks continue to be present in Irish waters predictably and annually. This bodes well for the status of their population in this area and also suggests that Ireland offers important habitat for this globally endangered species.”

The paper has been published in the journal Endangered Species Research and is freely available online on the Inter-Research Science Publisher website, int-res.com.

ISBG (baskingshark.ie) is an international team comprised of researchers, citizen scientists, and educators in Ireland, the UK, and the United States.