Cardigan Bay Dolphins
Cardigan Bay is famous for its bottlenose dolphins. There are around 250 bottlenose dolphins that regularly frequent the area. You can find out more about the bottlenose dolphins of Cardigan Bay in this short feature film from the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC).
New Quay is one of the UK’s best locations for observing bottlenose dolphins. Being at sea may lead to a close encounter with these fascinating creatures but they can also be seen from the land. Dolphin Watch Live - Check out the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre's unique live camera stream, set up to help the team at CBMWC to monitor dolphin activity in New Quay. The live camera stream comes directly from New Quay, Wales and we regularly spot our Cardigan Bay bottlenose dolphins foraging off the end of the harbour wall in the camera. Warning you may spot wild dolphins, it can become addictive watching! Bottlenose dolphins are intelligent and extremely sociable, they like to ride the bow wave of the boat and can be seen leaping out of the water – all of which makes them great fun to observe in the wild. Dolphins are mammals like us. They breathe oxygen through their lungs, unlike fish who breathe using gills, so have to come to the surface to breathe. Although bottlenose dolphins can swim to depths of over 250m, they are generally shallow divers and stay underwater for only a few minutes at a time, before returning to the surface to breathe. Working with the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, we have been surveying and collecting data on the Cardigan Bay dolphins since the early 1990's. We help gather data and information on the Cardigan Bay dolphins and other marine mammals that are regularly spotted, such as harbour porpoise and Atlantic grey seals and more unusual species such as basking sharks and sunfish. Parts of Cardigan Bay have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), due to the areas importance to the bottlenose dolphins and to harbour porpoises. An SAC is a European designation that will help to ensure that the area and its wildlife are safeguarded for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. There are other types of marine mammal that call Cardigan Bay their home. Sightings of the smaller harbour porpoises and Atlantic grey seals are also common. There is also lots of other marine life just off the New Quay coast, which can be seen from our boat trips. |
Bottlenose dolphins of Cardigan Bay
Short feature film by the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC) |
What will you expect to see
Our boat trips provide avid wildlife watchers with the opportunity to explore Cardigan Bay by boat and to see Cardigan Bay’s Big Three: bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and Atlantic grey seals (seal pups during the pupping season September/October).
As well as the Cardigan Bay BIG 3 sightings in previous years have included, common dolphins, sunfish, numerous jellyfish species, possible Minke whale sightings and sightings of thresher sharks. For those keen twitchers there are many wonderful sightings of sea birds including gannets, Manx shearwaters, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, puffins (and pufflings), skuas, scoters, petrels and occasional views of other shearwater species, great views of nesting auk colonies, in particular on New Quay headland, a fantastic sight from April until end of June when the adults and their chicks head out to sea.
Our boat trips provide avid wildlife watchers with the opportunity to explore Cardigan Bay by boat and to see Cardigan Bay’s Big Three: bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and Atlantic grey seals (seal pups during the pupping season September/October).
As well as the Cardigan Bay BIG 3 sightings in previous years have included, common dolphins, sunfish, numerous jellyfish species, possible Minke whale sightings and sightings of thresher sharks. For those keen twitchers there are many wonderful sightings of sea birds including gannets, Manx shearwaters, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, puffins (and pufflings), skuas, scoters, petrels and occasional views of other shearwater species, great views of nesting auk colonies, in particular on New Quay headland, a fantastic sight from April until end of June when the adults and their chicks head out to sea.