SEA life experts are studying a picture of a suspected killer whale seen off the coast of Gwynedd.
A-level student Jenny Donelan and her mum Carys Roberts spotted the giant mammal off the beach at Criccieth, and the 18-year-old snapped it with her camera.
Sightings of killer whales are extremely rare off the Welsh coast with fewer than one a year – and mostly around Pembrokeshire.
The Sea Watch Foundation is now investigating the picture.
Expert Gemma Veneruso, from the Foundation, said they were trying to establish if it was a killer whale (Orca) or a large bottlenose dolphin, and have asked the public to come forward if they had similar sightings.
Jenny, 18, a student at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Pwllheli, said: “We were on the beach at Criccieth when mum spotted this very large fish in the water.
“I turned and saw it and took the picture as it splashed into the water but didn’t really realise what we had seen, only that it was very big.
“I have seen dolphins off the coast before and it was much larger.
“It was only later when we looked at the picture we realised it could have been a killer whale. You can see how big it is by the size of the fish it has thrown out of the water.
“It was not far off the coast probably no more than the length of a tennis court.”
Members of the Sea Watch Foundation believe it could be a killer whale but could not clarify it 100% as it was not clear enough on the picture.
Gemma said: “Sightings of killer whales off the Welsh coast are once a year events or even rarer than that so this would be unusual but certainly possible.”
Jenny added: “A friend who has a fishing boat has told us he has seen a number of seals with their heads bitten off around the coast, which he believes could be a sign a killer whale is in the area.
“I am now planning to go out in the boat as this has got me really interested.”
Owen R Hughes, Daily Post
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2010/04/10/suspected-killer-whale-seen-off-gwynedd-coast-55578-26212867/
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