Dolphins in Devon all year around

New research has found the south west is home to a resident population of bottlenose dolphins....the first community in English waters.

Plymouth based researcher, Rebecca Dudley, has studied the creatures and found twenty eight live here permanently.

Ruth Williams from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust says she's incredibly excited. And we need to make sure the dolphins are given the protection not just to survive, but to thrive.

“Further work is needed but this is a huge step forward and I am proud of what our partnership between Cornwall Wildlife Trust, scientists and boat operators has achieved,” she said.

“The future of these iconic animals is in our hands and we need to make sure the few we currently have in the south-west are given the protection not just to survive, but to thrive.”

The dolphins were seen along the south-west coastline but appeared to be concentrated in St Ives Bay and Mount’s Bay in Cornwall.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Wildlife Trust said: “Bottlenose dolphins in the south-west face several threats, including pollution from plastics and chemicals, injury by fishing nets, and disturbance from recreational activities.

“Highlighting the existence of a resident population is the first step in seeking specific protection for these animals, with the next step being to collect more evidence on their movements and behaviour and strengthen the case for the importance of this area.”

The trust launched the South-west Bottlenose Dolphin Consortium, a partnership between scientists, research groups and eco-tourism operators, in October 2016.