Large pod of bottlenose dolphins sighted

A pod of more than 100 bottlenose dolphins has been spotted off the coast of the Isle of Man, according to the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch.

The dolphins were seen from the east and west coast of the island in Manx waters, where they visit to feed on herring, mackerel and whiting between the months of October and March.

"They are a magnificent sight," said Tom Felce of the watch. "The group sizes tend to be relatively ginormous, so if they are here you can't miss them.

"They are very, very active and create a huge amount of white water - they leap all over the place - so sightings will be magnificent. I would encourage anyone to go out and have a look. They are extraordinary creatures and we are so lucky to have them right on our doorstep."

Bottlenose dolphins are seen all over the world, except in polar waters. At the beginning of 2012 the Manx Wildlife Trust's photos matched those dolphins swimming off the coast of Wales, and the trust is looking to see if they match those seen off the coasts of Ireland and Scotland, too.

It is hoped that by sharing data and matching dolphins to different areas will help explain more about how far the dolphins travel, to enable better protection. The Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch is asking people to record their sightings on their website.