A young humpback whale seen recently off the Co Cork coast has made scientific history as the first of its species to be tracked within European waters.
The juvenile whale, around 16-18 feet in length, was tracked on a 1,200km journey from the North Sea through the English Channel and across the Irish Sea to west Cork.
Experts are heralding the discovery as a major breakthrough in locating the Irish humpback breeding grounds and understanding the mammal's migrating patterns.
The Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) said: "This is the first match of an individual humpback whale moving within European waters.
"This is an important scientific finding for understanding humpback whale movements around the northeast Atlantic, to recognise important feeding habitats, raise awareness and provide hope of possible recovery for this species," it added.
The whale, once close to extinction through commercial whaling, was first was photographed by Dutch scientists last May in the Wadden Sea off the Netherlands coast. Some four months later, it was photographed some 1200km away - off Toe Head, west Cork, on September 28th.
Dr Simon Berrow of the IWDG said: "Sightings of humpback whales are not common off either country, so the match is all the more surprising."
Minke and fin whale are more common and have contributed to the development of a fledgling whale-watching industry in recent years.