Two bottlenose dolphins have been a regular sight in Strangford Lough, County Down, since March 2023. The pair, named Squiggle and Squashy, are frequently spotted between Strangford village and Portaferry, often following vessels and performing for onlookers.

Dr Nick Baker Horne, Ulster Wildlife's marine conservation manager, said the dolphins play an important ecological role. Predators like them help maintain balance in the marine food web, he explained. The lough's designation as a highly protected area, with no mobile fishing gear or trawling, has made it an attractive habitat for the animals.

Squiggle travelled to Strangford Lough from the Moray Firth in Scotland, where he was born in 2016. He later joined a pod in the Firth of Clyde before arriving in Northern Ireland. The origins of the younger Squashy are unknown. Baker Horne noted that young male dolphins often leave their birth pods to seek out new groups.

The presence of the dolphins has proven a draw for visitors. Several businesses have begun offering eco-tours, bringing additional revenue to the local area. Dr Gavin Grant, a marine engagement officer with the AONB and Geopark, described the animals as charismatic megafauna that are popular with the public. He stressed that people should keep a distance of at least 100 metres and never chase, feed, or touch the dolphins. Entering the water with them is unsafe due to their size, which can reach up to four metres.

Baker Horne added that summer brings other marine species to Northern Ireland waters, including basking sharks off Portrush and minke whales near Rathlin Island and Groomsport. He suggested that if seas continue to warm, protected areas like Strangford Lough could become increasingly important as a refuge for marine life. Though the dolphins have made the lough their home, they could depart at any time to join other pods.