Irish Wildlife News
Bumper Corncrake breeding season sees best numbers in 25 years
Figures from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) confirm that the red-listed Corncrake has had its most successful Irish breeding season in 25 years with 233 confirmed breeding territories. The 2024 figure represents a 45% increase since 2018.The ground-nesting corncrake is a shy and elusive summer visitor that spends….
Oak Processionary Moth confirmed in Ireland
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine confirmed earlier this week that colonies of the invasive Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) had been discovered on four oak trees in a Dublin housing estate. The caterpillars and the trees have been destroyed in an attempt to eradicate the pest before….
Avian Influenza hits Irish seabird colonies
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1) has hit Irish seabird colonies this breeding season after running rampant through similar colonies in the UK earlier this year. The disease, which can infect a wide range of bird species, appears to have hit breeding Gannet colonies particularly hard.Gannets, our larges seabird, nest….
Humpback Whale Catalogue breaches 100 animal milestone
The Irish Whale And Dolphin Group’s (IWDG) Humpback Whale Catalogue has broken the 100 individual milestone.On the 20 July IWDG researcher Nick Masset photographed two new Humpback Whales off the coast of West Kerry, and HBIRL#100 and HBIRL#101 took their respective places in the photo ID catalogue that documents every….
Irish eagle numbers boosted
Ten new White-tailed Eagle chicks arrived in Ireland from Norway last week to bolster population numbers as Phase II of the ongoing White-tailed Eagle reintroduction programme got underway.The ambitious reintroduction programme, a joint initiative between the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Golden Eagle Trust, began with the….
Minister halts plans to allow hedge-cutting in August
Minister for Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD has announced that she will not exercise her discretionary powers under the new Heritage Act to allow hedge-cutting to proceed in August this year.“Hedgerows are a very important wildlife habitat, providing food, shelter, corridors of movement, nest and hibernation sites….
Video captures essence of Ireland’s wildlife at National Biodiversity Conference
Ireland is home to some truly phenomenal wildlife. Our position on the western periphery of Europe, perched on the edge of the wild North Atlantic, makes this a truly special place. The essence of Ireland’s natural heritage is encapsulated in this short video, compiled by Crossing The Line Films. It….