Endangered fin whales spotted from Isle of Man coast

Fin whales grow to about 26m (85ft) in length and can live to about 90 years old

A pair of endangered fin whales have been spotted from the east coast of the Isle of Man, it has been confirmed.

They were seen by a team of observers at about 15:30 BST on Saturday, Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch (MWDW) said.

MWDW said the whales, about 26m (85ft) in length, are "incredibly rare visitors to Manx waters", adding they were most likely feeding on Herring.

Fin whales are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Jen Adams, from the MWDW, said: "Fin whales are incredibly rare visitors to Manx waters but what makes this sighting incredible is how shallow the water is where they were."

'Unusual disturbance'

The pair of whales were spotted for the second time on Sunday at about 14:30 when more observers noticed "some unusual disturbance in the water".

Members of the MWDW travelled to the scene and watched the mammals for about three hours.

"They were a long way off but with our help most people managed to see them by looking out for their tall blow," said Ms Adams.

Fin whales grow to about 26m (85ft) long and can live to about 90 years old.

They can weigh up to 74 tonnes and live on a diet of small fish, crustaceans and squid.