“The IWDG arrange regular postmortems on behalf of the Marine Institute but only on specific species for specific purposes,” Berrow says. Once a whale, or part of the mammal, has been secured for postmortem there can be a delay before detailed investigations take place. The small Arctic whale that often has a distinctive tusk protruding like a fencing sword from its rounded head has not been found in Ireland before. This female narwhal washed up on a beach in Donegal was first recording of the species in Irish waters. “The seas are getting too warm for ice and too warm for the food the whales feed on.

Source: The Irish Times January 14, 2026 10:31 UTC