Having a Whale of a Time

HUMP-BACK SIGHTINGS SOAR OFF THE SUSSEX COAST

More used to recording dolphins, harbour porpoises and spotting seals, the Sussex Dolphin Project have been recording and tracking numerous sightings of humpback whales during the past couple of months in various locations off the Sussex coast such as Eastbourne, Seaford, Hastings and Worthing.

Thea Taylor, director of the Sussex Dolphin Project, said: "Normally, in Sussex over the winter period, we have one, maybe two, humpback whale sightings reported." However the latest sighting, received on 30th January 2025 now brings that total to nearly 50 since December.

During their own most recent two-hour whale encounter, in late January, the Sussex Dolphin Project were delighted to find the mammal in good condition and free from fishing net entanglement, as they witnessed, "Full breaches, pectoral fin slaps, and many dives, one of which finally gave us the angle we needed to capture the fluke shot, which we sent off for identification". This confirmed that this was a 'new' whale which hadn't been seen before.

The mammal is now on 'Happy Whale' which engages citizen scientists to identify individual marine mammals, for fun and for science and through which the Sussex Dolphin Project will hopefully be able to track its continuing journey.

Sightings of whales, dolphins and other creatures can be reported to the Sussex Dolphin Project directly HERE.