Sighting of sunburnt Moray Firth dolphin off Irish coast puzzles experts
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A PLUCKY Moray Firth dolphin who won countless hearts after surviving a harrowing brush with death has surprised scientists by appearing off Ireland.
Spirtle hit the headlines back in May 2016 when, completely by chance, she was found beached at Nigg Bay.
The dolphin, who had suffered severe sunburn while being out of the water, was discovered by passing tourists who had become lost while looking for the Chanonry Point dolphin viewing spot on the Black Isle.
That stroke of luck probably saved Spirtle's life. Rescuers used wet towels to protect her skin from further injury and she was successfully refloated as the tide came back in.
In the three years since Spirtle has continued to impress wildlife experts and conservationists, who have seen her life-threatening sunburn injuries gradually scar over.
Today she is healthy and fighting fit. However, the distinctive white markings have made her easy to identify – aiding experts to track her movements around the local coastline.
However, she has now surprised everyone by being spotted at the weekend with other dolphins off Tralee and Brandon Bay in North Kerry.
It is the furthest flung sighting made to date of one of the Moray Firth's resident population of bottlenose dolphins.
They are known to travel large distances, but are normally only spotted between the far north coast and just below Scarborough in Yorkshire.
The sighting by the Irish Whale Dolphin Group is puzzling experts, who are keeping a keen eye on the other dolphins with her to see if any of her companions are also from the Moray Firth.
