Dolphins Squiggle and Squashy 'an important part of lough'

Two dolphins who have made Strangford Lough their home have become an important part of the lough's ecosystem, as well as a tourist attraction, a marine expert has said.

Bottlenose dolphins Squiggle and Squashy first appeared in the lough in County Down in March 2023.

They're regularly seen following boats and performing for delighted visitors, particularly in the stretch of water between Strangford village and Portaferry.

Dr Nick Baker Horne, Ulster Wildlife's marine conservation manager, said the dolphins are a "brilliant attraction".

"We need predators like dolphins around to keep the balance in check of marine life," he said.

Baker Horne added: "A few groups are popping up now, a few businesses are taking advantage of the pull of the dolphins - eco-tours and stuff - so hopefully bringing some excitement and some money into the local area through eco-tourism."

He said the fact that the lough is a highly protected area would be one of the reasons the dolphins have stuck around.

"There's no mobile fishing gear, so no trawling happens in Strangford Lough," he said.

"So it's a very protected area and that's really key to why animals like dolphins want to come in."

The pair are often seen following boats in the lough, which Baker Horne said reflects their intelligence.

"They seem to enjoy or make use of boats quite a lot - by swimming just ahead of a boat they're eventually taking the push of the boat in the water," he said.

"So they could be saving energy by moving around like that, but with small rowing boats they're likely being inquisitive - they're highly intelligent animals.

"They're fantastic hunters, so they end up having free time for doing fun things."

Squiggle made the journey to Strangford from the Moray Firth on the east coast of Scotland, where he was born in 2016.

He first joined a pod in the Firth of Clyde on the west of Scotland before arriving in County Down.

Squashy's origins are not known, but he's believed to be younger than his bigger buddy.

"It's usual for young males to go in search of new horizons," Baker Horne said.

"They will travel and look for new pods to join or spend that time away, because there's only a certain number of adult males that can hang around in the same pod."

Dr Gavin Grant, AONB and Geopark marine and coastal engagement officer, said that most visitors to the lough love seeing Squiggle and Squashy.

"They are what scientists call 'charismatic megafauna', basically large animals that are widely popular and mean many things to many people," he said.

However, he added that it was important that people show them the respect they deserve.

"We would encourage everyone to keep their distance when possible, ideally over 100m away, and let any interactions be on the animals' terms, never chasing, feeding or touching them," he said.

"It is also not safe for people in the water with them, given their size {2.5-4m long} and the fact they are large marine predators."

Baker Horne said that now is a great time to see some of Northern Ireland's marine species.

"As the water warms up, the plankton - the base of the food chain - blooms and we get more food for the small fish and the small fish are food for the larger predators," he said.

"So you end up with basking sharks off Portrush, minke whales coming in to feed off Rathlin [Island] and I've seen minke whales just off of Groomsport feeding.

"It's a really incredible time for marine wildlife and getting to see that sort of bloom of it."

He said if seas continue to warm in the future Strangford Lough could become as even more important destination for visiting species.

"Where there are changes in climate, that's not going to be a good thing," he said.

"Warmer waters is not going to be a nice thing longer-term for us, but the good news is that Strangford Lough being a protected area, it's also a good spot for protection against climate change.

"So hopefully places like Strangford Lough will become a good refuge for marine life from those future kind of issues."