Mayo school pupils send shark message to Achill visitors on Earth Day

The Basking Sharks are back off the Achill coast and the children of a local national school created a message for the locals and tourists on Earth Day to respect these gentle giants.

As part of their Marine Institute’s Explorers Healthy Ocean Project, the pupils of Dooagh NS on Achill Island created two life size sharks with a message on Keel beach on Monday which was Earth Day. The message called for locals and tourists to respect the local wildlife and keep their distance from Basking Sharks when they are swimming close to the shore.

The Basking Shark is the second largest shark in the world and is a regular sight off the Mayo coast at this time of year as it follows the plankton which it feeds on. A number of the sharks were spotted off the Achill coast over the weekend which resulted in a number of people trying to get close to the placid creature.

This practice of getting close to the sharks is not encouraged which was the message from the pupils of Dooagh NS.

Irene Patten, Dooagh NS Principal, congratulated the children on their life size basking shark measuring eight metres long made of sand and rocks and importantly, the message using rocks for everyone to see: 'Please respect our Sharks'.

“The children are celebrating the work that they have done over the last couple of months learning about sharks as part of the Explorers school project, focusing on creating a healthy ocean. With so many basking sharks seen feeding in the water around Achill this week, it is wonderful to make the connection that we all need to care for our ocean and the animals that live there.

“It was wonderful to see the children spend a very enjoyable morning at Keel Beach where they showed great creativity and teamwork in making two life-size basking sharks from pebbles on the beach and a message to help protect the gentle giants who deserve their safe space in the waters around Achill,” Ms Patten said.

Sorsha Kennedy, Explorers Education officer added: “The Irish saying: Chomh sámh le liamhán gréine, which means As tranquil as a basking shark, is important to remember when we see the sharks bathing in the sun and feeding. They are the second largest shark in the world, measuring in average between five to seven metres in length. Some have been recorded at eleven metres. Although they may seem ‘gentle’, they are busy feeding on plankton and can filter 2,000 tons of water per hour as they swim along with their mouths wide open.”

Basking Sharks have been granted legal protection under Ireland's Wildlife Act as they are listed as globally Endangered with the IUCN. “We are therefore very lucky to see these sharks around Achill each summer, which are best observed safely and peacefully from land. The children are very excited about protecting their sharks back – and to complete their outing on the seashore they carried out a beach clean where they collected and removed ten bags of plastic that had been washed ashore. Today the Dooagh NS students left some very important healthy ocean messages, to respect wildlife, observe sharks from a safe distance and help keep plastics from the ocean,” Sorsha added.

Pupils of Dooagh NS on Achill Island create a life size Basking Shark from stones on Keel Beach

The Irish Basking Shark Group (www.baskingshark.ie) has created a Code of Conduct to help prevent harmful interactions between people and Basking Sharks recommending that people stay at least four metres away and they should not try to approach the animals.

They encourage people to take photos at a distance and to record the location at time sharks were observed. This helps scientists ensure that they are monitored and are given the necessary protection while in Irish waters.

For further information on Basking Sharks in Irish waters contact the Irish Basking Shark Group or The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.