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Displaying items by tag: Mark Holmes

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has recorded another first for the North Atlantic, with evidence showing that killer whales are feeding on ocean sunfish.

Mark Holmes of the Natural History Museum confirmed the presence of parasites unique to the sunfish found within the carcass of a female orca stranded in Doohooma in Co Mayo.

"These parasites did not originate from the whale's stomach, but came from the prey which it had eaten," said the IWDG's Conor Ryan.

"This was confirmed when the partially digested bones in the stomachs were eventually identified as those of a sunfish beak."

The discovery may explain a recent study of UK waters which found sunfish taking unusually deep dives, possibly to avoid cetaceans and other large predators.

Published in Marine Wildlife

About the RS21 International One Design Class

The RS21 International One Design Class is a modern keelboat, which promoters say is 'responsibly designed with performance racing at its heart'.

The powerful rig and distinct chines are balanced by well-mannered boat handling and an ergonomic deck layout to ensure everyone on board has a vital role and ease of use.

The RS21 was developed with sustainability at the core of its design, not only in terms of materials but also considering the carbon footprint in the supply chain, a reduction in single-use plastics and a focus on efficient logistics.

The RS21 International One Design Class is growing from strength to strength, with fleets active over three continents and racing calendars that escalate each year, nationally and internationally. "Removing the arms race and ensuring epically close racing in the RS21 is the future of keelboat racing," said class aficionados.