A drone video from Fintra gave Ireland only its second validated beluga record. Experts say the adult whale looks healthy, but a link to sightings in Norway, Denmark and Finland is unconfirmed.

A brilliant white beluga whale, a species that normally lives among Arctic sea ice, has been filmed in Donegal Bay in northwest Ireland, and Irish whale experts say it could be the same solitary beluga reported off Scandinavia this summer. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) validated the sighting on Monday, Oct. 19, making it only the second photo-confirmed beluga record in the group's 35-year history.

The animal was spotted Saturday, Oct. 17, close to shore in shallow, brackish water at Fintra, in an area locals call the Secret Waterfall. IWDG said the video gave no cause for concern about its welfare, describing a whale that was swimming strongly and breathing normally.

The sighting matters beyond Ireland because belugas are an Arctic sentinel species, and Irish scientists say these visits are becoming more frequent. It also comes as Storm Austen moves across Ireland, which could make the whale harder to track in the days ahead.

A Drone Video Near the Secret Waterfall

The discovery is a citizen-science story. Sebastian Szumlański was visiting the spot with his family when he saw what he took to be a pale dolphin, so he launched a drone. He later showed the footage to a friend, who passed it to Declan Kilgannon of the Donegal Bay Conservation Trust, who sent it to IWDG.

"It's a phenomenal sighting," Kilgannon told RTÉ News, adding that it shows the value of citizen science in documenting marine life.

IWDG sightings officer Pádraig Whooley said the whale's white color and size, about 13 to 15 feet (4 to 4.5 meters) long, mark it as an adult of unknown sex. Belugas are born dark gray and grow paler with age.

Ireland has at least four earlier beluga reports. The first dates to September 1948 off Clare Island in County Mayo, followed by Cork Harbour in June 1988 and a photo-validated adult off Dunseverick, County Antrim, in July 2015. IWDG said the gap between confirmed records has narrowed to 11 years.

Roughly 1,700 Miles From the Nearest Arctic Population

Whooley told The Irish Times that "our latitudes are not the natural home for beluga whales," and that the nearest Arctic population is probably around Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago roughly 1,700 miles (about 2,700 kilometers) to the north.

Belugas usually travel in groups, so a lone animal this far south is unusual. Belugas move to feed, to breed and to escape predators, Marie-Anne Blanchet of the Norwegian Polar Institute told AFP in April about a different beluga found in a river near Oslo — but she added that scientists did not know why that whale was there. "The only thing to do is to leave it alone," she said, according to The Local.

Whooley has framed the broader trend in terms of shifting prey. As fish such as mackerel and herring move north into cooler water, predators follow. "But what do you do when you live on the top of the world? You can't go north. There is no north," he said. IWDG itself says it remains unclear whether more frequent Arctic visitors reflect sea-ice breakup or simply more people watching and filming, so no single cause has been established for this whale.

A Possible Link to Scandinavia, Not a Confirmed One

Arctic whale expert Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen told IWDG that a solitary beluga was seen during the summer in Norway, Denmark and Finland. IWDG said "there is always the possibility that this could be the same individual," and promised updates if a match is confirmed.

No match has been made. Confirming one would require comparing photos of scars or markings, and IWDG has said it can tell little about this whale beyond its color and size.

Lone belugas have turned up repeatedly in European waters this year. In January, a beluga was seen off the Netherlands for the first time since 1966, and wildlife group SOS Dolfijn urged spotters to stop disturbing it. In March, a beluga was reported off Belgium. No agency has linked those animals to the Donegal whale.

Lone Belugas Face Boats, Noise and Too Much Attention

The biggest risks to a wandering beluga often come from people — not from the unfamiliar water itself. Solitary whales can become drawn to boats and swimmers, raising the chance of propeller strikes, entanglement and stress. Norway's famous lone beluga, nicknamed Hvaldimir, suffered injuries linked to boat contact before he was found dead in 2024.

The issue is familiar in U.S. waters too. In 2021, a lone beluga turned up near Seattle, far from its usual range, and Alaska's Cook Inlet belugas are listed as endangered by NOAA Fisheries, which advises the public not to approach, feed, or swim with wild whales.

For residents and visitors along Donegal Bay, the best help is distance. Watch from shore, keep boats, kayaks and drones well back, never try to touch or feed the whale, and keep dogs away from the water's edge. If you see it, take a photo or video and report it to IWDG with the date, time, and location. If it appears injured, stranded or trapped, call IWDG's live stranding hotline rather than attempting a rescue.

Whooley warned that the timing is poor for monitoring. "The big storm won't make any difference to the whale but it'll impact our ability to actually observe the animal and to try and monitor it from the shoreline," he said, referring to Storm Austen. What happens next depends on new public reports and any photo match with the Scandinavian sightings. The bottom line is that a healthy adult beluga is in Irish waters, its origin is still a possibility rather than a fact, and the public's photos may decide the answer.

What Readers Want to Know

Where was the beluga seen?

At Fintra in Donegal Bay, County Donegal, Ireland, near a spot known locally as the Secret Waterfall, on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Is it the same beluga seen in Scandinavia?

Possibly. An Arctic whale expert told IWDG a lone beluga was seen in Norway, Denmark and Finland this summer, but no photo match has confirmed it.

Is the whale healthy?

IWDG said the video gave no cause for concern, with the whale swimming strongly and breathing normally.

How rare is a beluga in Ireland?

Very rare. This is only the second sighting validated with photos by IWDG, after a beluga off County Antrim in 2015.

What should I do if I see it?

Keep your distance, do not approach by boat or drone, and report the sighting with photos to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

Why do belugas wander so far south?

Lone belugas may roam in search of food or company. Scientists say the reason for any single animal's trip is usually unknown.