Ireland Flora & Fauna

Ask About Ireland's illustrated Introduction to the Flora and Fauna of Ireland, by Michael Viney is an enjoyable, informative read. Topics covered include:

• Howth Peninsula
• The Birds of Ireland
• Selected Wild Flowers of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
• The Flaming Wheel nature essays about the countryside of Wicklow and Dublin
• The Tobacco Growing Industry in Meath
• The Wildflowers of Bull Island: The Grassland Dunes
• Wild Plants of the Burren
• Wild Wicklow
• Wildlife of the Parks of South Dublin County
• Trees of Woodstock Arboretum, Kilkenny
• Flora and Fauna of Wexford Sloblands
• Flora and Fauna of Wicklow
• Flora of Wicklow
• Habitats of Carlow
  
  

Interactive maps of Ireland's environment

The Environmental Protection Agency's ENVision tool enables you to access and map information on Ireland's environment and land use. It includes information on:

• Air and water quality (including of rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal and bathing waters);
• Land cover information;
• Soil and subsoil;
• Locations of Water Framework Directive Protected Areas and River Basin Districts, hydrometric stations and river catchments;
• Location of towns, rivers and lakes;
• Facilities licensed by the EPA (e.g. facilities with waste licences).
  
  

31 species of butterfly in Ireland

There are 31 species of butterfly in Ireland. You can find about 28 of these species in the Burren in Co. Clare and 21 in Lullymore West bog in Co. Kildare.

Small

1. Common Blue
2. Holly Blue
3. Small Blue
4. Green Hairstreak
5. Purple Hairstreak
6. Brown Hairstreak
7. Small Copper
8. Dingy Skipper

Brown

1. Meadow Brown
2. Ringlet
3. Wall Brown
4. Speckled Wood
5. Grayling
6. Small Heath
7. Large Heath
8. Gatekeeper

White

1. Small White
2. Large White
3. Green-veined White
4. Wood White
5. Orange Tip
6. Brimstone
7. Clouded Yellow

Multi-coloured

1. Small Tortoiseshell
2. Peacock
3. Red Admiral
4. Painted Lady
5. Silver-washed Fritillary
6. Dark Green Fritillary
7. Pearl-bordered Fritillary
8. Marsh Fritillary

Find out more on Ireland's butterflies:

• See photos, read information on and find out where to spot all these butterfly species at www.irishbutterflies.com
• Buy the Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland the most comprehensive survey of butterflies ever undertaken in Britain and Ireland
• Visit Butterfly Ireland for distribution maps and photographs of Irish butterflies, caterpillars and pupae.
• Visit this UK focused website - a good source of information on butterfly species that are also found in Ireland http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/

Timeline of environmental milestones for Ireland

Once upon a time - key environmental dates for Ireland

2006 - Nitrates Directive signed into law in Ireland
2006 - Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to propose 4 of its deepwater coral reef sites be designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for protection under the EU Habitats Directive.

2000 - following commencement of Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000 the following were ratified Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) (Bonn Convention) , International Tropical Timber Agreement

2000 - Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000

1997 - publication of 'Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland', which provides for local authorities to complete Local Agenda 21 Plans for their areas
1997 - European Union (Natural Habitats) Regulations, S.I. 94/1997
1996 - signed Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) (Bonn Convention)
1996 - signed International Tropical Timber Agreement

1995 - endorsed the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
1995 - Heritage Act, 1995
1995 - ratified Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (Bonn Convention)
1993 - signed Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (Bonn Convention)

1986 - Glenveagh National Park opens
1985 - ratified International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
1984 - ratified Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention)
1983 - ratified of Convention on the Conservation of migratory Species of Wild Animals. (Bonn Convention)
1982 - ratified of Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Berne Convention)

1979 - signing of Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Berne Convention)
1979 - signing of Convention on the Conservation of migratory Species of Wild Animals. (Bonn Convention)
1976 - Wildlife Act, 1976
1974 - signed Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
1971 - signed Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention)

1946 - signed International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

How many species, and how many are threatened?

According to an Irish Times article on the threat to Ireland's wildlife, published 16 January 2007, Ireland's wildlife is thought to comprise:

• 31 species of mammal (OnlyOneIreland reckons there's 34 mammal species)
• 27 species of fish
• 12,000 species of flowering plants and trees
• 3,500 species of fungi
• 12,000 species of insects.

It is estimated that up to 200 of these species are threatened with extinction or have undergone serious decline in recent years.

• A total of 18 native bird species are on the red list of animals that have shown a 50 per cent decline in breeding numbers in the last 25 years. These include the corncrake, barn owl, black-necked grebe, hen harrier and grey partridge. Further still, around 20 bird species in Ireland are of conservation concern.
• A further 77 species of native Irish birds have undergone a decline of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent throughout Europe.
• Mammals on the endangered species list include the red squirrel, otter, mountain hare and all 10 bat species found in Ireland.
• The natterjack toad, native only to a small part of Co Kerry, is also on Ireland's endangered list.

Ireland, along with the rest of the EU, is commited under international biodiversity agreements to halt the loss of its biodiversity by 2010. The Notice Nature campaign, launched in January 2007, contributes to Ireland's commitment.

• Read more about Ireland's mammals
• Read more about Ireland's birds
• Read more about Ireland's fish
• Read about the Notice Nature campaign

25 species, 60 habitats in need of special protection

In Ireland, 25 species and 60 habitats are recognised by the EU to be in need of special protection.

Ireland vital statistics

Check out the Ordanance Survey of Ireland (OSI) website for facts and figures on Ireland's tallest mountains, longest rivers, largest lakes and physical dimensions:

• Kerry has 4 of Ireland's 8 highest mountains, ranging from the 951m Mount Brandon to 1038m Carrauntoolhil. At ninth position is Donegal's Errigal at 749m.
  
  
• Ireland's longest river is the Shannon (360km) followed by the Barrow (193km), the Suir (184km) and the Blackwater (168km).
  
  
• Northern Ireland claims Ireland's largest lake, namely Lough Neagh at 381 sq km. County Galway's Lough Corrib is second at176 sq km and Lough Derg (which straddles Counties Tipperary, Galway and Clare) third with 118 sq km. County Fermanagh's Lough Erne covers 112 sq km and Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath share Lough Ree at 105 sq km.
  
  
• Depending where you measure to and from, Ireland is 486km from top to tail and 275km wide.

1% of Ireland is internationally important wetland

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty concerned with the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands (especially those of importance as wildfowl habitats) and their resources. It supports conservation cooperation and action at local, national and international levels. The 153 participating countries are required to nominate Wetlands of International Importance based on significance in terms of ecology, botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. The Ramsar Convention currently lists 1631 such wetland sites. Ireland accounts for almost 3% of these.

1% of Ireland’s own land area is designated as Ramsar site

• Between 1984 and 1996, 45 wetlands in Ireland were designated, totalling 700 sq km
• Ireland has four times the average number of individual Ramsar sites per participating country
• However, each site being small, Ireland's total Ramsar site area is less than a 10th of the average per country
• Worldwide, Ramsar sites total over 1500000 sq km. Irish sites accounts for approximately .05% of the total area.

Peppered throughout Ireland

A map of Irish Ramsar sites is available from the Ramsar Sites Information Service. They are also listed below.

1. Wexford Wildfowl Reserve
2. The Raven
3. Pettigo Plateau
4. Slieve Bloom Mountains
5. Owenduff catchment
6. Owenboy
7. Knockmoyle/Sheskin
8. Lough Barra Bog
9. North Bull Island
10. Rogerstown Estuary
11. Baldoyle Bay
12. Clara Bog
13. Mongan Bog
14. Raheenmore Bog
15. Tralee Bay
16. Castlemaine Harbour
17. Easky Bog
18. The Gearagh
19. Coole Lough & Garryland Wood
20. Pollardstown Fen
21. Meenachullion Bog
22. Ballycotton Bay
23. Ballymacoda
24. Sandymount Strand/Tolka Estuary
25. The Broadmeadow Estuary
26. Dundalk Bay
27. Tramore Backstrand
28. Blackwater Estuary
29. Cork Harbour
30. Inner Galway Bay
31. Dungarvan Harbour
32. Bannow Bay
33. Trawbreaga Bay
34. Cummeen Strand
35. Killala Bay/Moy Estuary
36. Blacksod Bay and Broadhaven
37. Ballyallia Lough
38. Lough Corrib
39. Lough Derravaragh
40. Lough Ennell
41. Lough Glen
42. Lough Iron
43. Lough Owel
44. Lough Gara
45. Lough Oughter
    
    

Highest mountain in Ireland

Ireland's highest point is Carrantuohill in County Kerry. At 1038m high you'd need to stack eight and a half Carrantuohills to reach the height of Everest.

Ireland's coastline

Ireland's coastline measures 1448km. At an average pace of 5.6 km/hr you could walk around Ireland in 259 hours, or 11 days if you didn't stop.