Marine wildlife in Cardigan bay
Cardigan Bay is home to a wide variety of Marine Wildlife,
all of which can be seen with a little knowledge and patience.
Here are of some of the fascinating animals you may see.
Come to Cardigan Bay West Wales and see the Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic
Grey Seal, Harbour Porpoise, and much more.
Atlantic Grey Seals
Around 130 thousand Atlantic grey seals inhabit the north
Atlantic and Baltic waters. They are regularly seen from the shore around
Cardigan Bay offering a fascinating sight with their large bulbous heads
protruding from the water, eyes staring in a friendly curious manner.
They can grow to 2.5 meters in length and weigh over 300 kgs.
There are various places around Cardigan Bay to see these spectacular animals.
Listen to the sounds the dolphins
make.
See underwater images of other marine wild life
Bottlenose Dolphins
Cardigan Bay is home to one of only two resident groups of
Bottlenose Dolphins in the UK Estimates to the number of Dolphins in the
Bay vary but a figure of 127 is often quoted. Bottlenose Dolphins grow
to around 4 meters in length and can weigh more than 400 kilos.
They live for more than 40 years and produce only one calf in three years.
They cruise at around 10km/hour with a maximum speed of 40km/hour.
The best being,
-
Cardigan Island Farm Park
especially the seals. The white pups can often be seen from September to November.
Mwnt,
Ynys Lochtyn
New Quay.
Or why not try
Coastal Voyages
Catamaran from Aberaeron
Winston Evans Boat trips
from New Quay beach.
Remember these are wild free ranging animals so there is no guarantee of a sighting. May to November are the best months. The best times being early morning, evening and immediately after high tide.
Harbour Porpoises
Harbour Porpoises are regularly sighted in Cardigan Bay. They are about
half the size of the dolphin and are characterised by a short stubby dorsal
fin. It is this fin that you are most likely to see as the Porpoise is
rarely seen out of the water.
Harbour porpoises can live up to 10 years and the female will produce a single calf at two to three year intervals. The Harbour Porpoise feeds on mackerel and herring and can be seen either singly or in small groups.
Links:
Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation
Detailed information on how the Relevant Government Authorities are managing local activities to protect the internationally important marine environment of Cardigan Bay.
New Quay Dolphin
Monitoring Group
For more information on the Marine Wildlife of Cardigan Bay. They are
an independent voluntary group of local people dedicated to the long-term
study and well-being of the Bottlenose Dolphin and other marine wild life
of Cardigan Bay.