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Over 100 dolphins seen off Isle of Man coast
Large pod of bottlenose dolphins sighted

A pod of more than 100 bottlenose dolphins has been spotted off the coast of the Isle of Man, according to the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch.

The dolphins were seen from the east and west coast of the island in Manx waters, where they visit to feed on herring, mackerel and whiting between the months of October and March.

"They are a magnificent sight," said Tom Felce of the watch. "The group sizes tend to be relatively ginormous, so if they are here you can't miss them.

"They are very, very active and create a huge amount of white water - they leap all over the place - so sightings will be magnificent. I would encourage anyone to go out and have a look. They are extraordinary creatures and we are so lucky to have them right on our doorstep."

Bottlenose dolphins are seen all over the world, except in polar waters. At the beginning of 2012 the Manx Wildlife Trust's photos matched those dolphins swimming off the coast of Wales, and the trust is looking to see if they match those seen off the coasts of Ireland and Scotland, too.

It is hoped that by sharing data and matching dolphins to different areas will help explain more about how far the dolphins travel, to enable better protection. The Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch is asking people to record their sightings on their website.

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.