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
  
  

Red Kite Reintroduction to Ireland

Red Kites are being reintroduced to Ireland. The reintroduction project will start in Co. Wicklow where thirty Kites will be released in 2007. This, once widespread, native bird of prey became extinct in Ireland in the eighteenth century, due to persecution, poisoning and woodland clearance.

The Red Kites are being sourced from Wales. After Wicklow, they will also be released in other locations in the east of Ireland. A similar project, planned for 2008, may reintroduce the birds to Northern Ireland.

Although the birds are natural scavengers, they feed extensively on earthworms, insects and small mammals such as rabbits. The Red Kite does not present any threat to livestock and may become a tourist attractions.

The Red Kite project is part of Ireland’s wider efforts to improve national Biodiversity. Ireland has the lowest range of birds of prey and owls in Europe.

The Wicklow Red Kite Project is a partnership between the Golden Eagle Trust, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Welsh Kite Trust. It is funded by grants from DEHLG and the Heritage Council.

Ireland's 10 species of bat

The 1100 species of bat make up a quarter of all mammalian species on Earth. So it is perhaps to be expected that a similar proportion of Ireland's mammalian species, 10 to be precise, would be bats (see post on Irish mammals for a list). All bats residing in Ireland belong to the bat Sub-order Microchiroptera, and all except one (the Lesser Horseshoe bat of the family Rhinolophidae) belong to the Vespertilionidae family.

All of the Irish bat species feed on invertebrates and therefore frequent places rich in flies, beetles, moths and other insects. Woodlands, scrub, wetlands, river corridors and flower rich grasslands are all suitable foraging habitats.

Some of our bat species have only been recognised in Ireland recently:

• In 1997, the Nathusius’ pipistrelle was discovered breeding in Northern Ireland and has since also been recorded in the Republic.
  
  
• Also in the late 1990s, scientists discovered that the Pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus
  pipistrellus) actually comprised two different species, the Common and Soprano Pipistrelle. Both are found in Ireland, so another bat was added to the roll call.
  
  
• In 2003, a Brandt's bat was discovered in County Wicklow, and has since been confirmed breeding in County Clare and County Tipperary.
  
  
• Bat species can be tricky to identify, but reports suggest that Noctule (Nyctalus noctula) and Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) species may have undiscovered populations here. Exciting times.

All Irish bats are protected and are listed in the Red Data Book of Irish Vertebrates. It is an offence under the Wildlife Act (1976 & 2000) to intentionally disturb, kill or injure a bat or its resting place.

Find out what bat species live in your area using the interactive bat distribution maps compiled by Bat Conservation Ireland.

National Parks in Ireland

There are six national parks in Ireland, covering a combined area of 596 sq km, or only 0.86% of Ireland's total land area (68890 sq km). The criteria and standards for national parks are laid down by the World Conservation Union (also known as IUCN - International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Much of the land is also designated as a SAC (Special Area of Conservation (PDF format)) under the EU Habitats Directive.

Travelling clockwise around Ireland from Dublin the national parks:

1. Wicklow Mountains National Park, Co. Wicklow (159 sq km)
2. Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry (103 sq km)
3. The Burren National Park, Co. Clare (17 sq km)
4. Connemara National Park, Co. Galway (30 sq km)
5. Ballycroy National Park, Co. Mayo (118 sq km)
6. Glenveagh National Park, Co. Donegal (170 sq km)