Irish Wildlife Trust Autumn 2015

ISSN - 1649 - 5705 • AUTUMN ‘15

IRISH MAGAZINE OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

IRELAND’S

SIT BIE LDL FE W

MAGAZINE

Stunning

INSECT DEFENCE

SPOTTED IN IRELAND: • Raptors • Orchids • Common Seal

IRISH WATERWAYS

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TROPHY HUNTING DEBATE

URBAN FLORA

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SPECIAL OFFERS IN THE IWT SHOP To celebrate the IWT’s Wild Watch events, check out our range of T-shirts, now on special offer at 10. Made in high quality cotton by Fruit of the Loom.

We also have a range of publications at very competitive prices.

See our full range online at www.iwt.ie/shop

Wild Watch t-shirts now on special offer at 10

ly ct e dir ts. o c s g roje t fi ro T p p W l Al to I

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WELCOME

Chairperson’s Comment As we head into another autumn, with its sharp mornings, drifting fog and blazing colours, it is a good ti e for re ection before the cold e brace of winter. ow is the I doing hat are the big challenges facing Irish wildlife Like many environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs) we still suffer from the loss of eritage ouncil funding and have found it e tre ely difficult to fill that financial hole. owever we have ade so e good inroads into building up corporate relations particularly with pple.

I had the great pleasure of ta ing pple staff on a trip to the earagh ature eserve in o or where we introduced the to the concept and i portance of biological recording. It was a wonderful day in a wonderful place and I hope it will be the beginning of a good relationship.

Cover credits Main image: Peacock butterfly

by Mike Brown.

Spotted in Ireland (L-R): Kestrel by Mario McRory; Bee orchid by A. Kelly; Common seal by A. Kelly.

Pass it on. If you’re finished with your Irish Wildlife don’t throw it in the bin. Pass it on to someone who you think may enjoy it – or ask your local library or doctor’s office to leave it in the reception.

You’ll help the environment and the IWT while you’re at it.

Editor: Pádraic Fogarty, IWT Published by Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com

Printed on

All articles © 2015. No part of this publication including the images used may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Opinions and comments expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure that all information contained in this publication is factual and correct at time of going to press, Ashville Media Group and the Irish Wildlife Trust cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions contained herein.

Please recycle this copy of Irish Wildlife

It is i perative that the I continues to build up such relations to ensure that we beco e ore financially stable as lac of funding of wildlife conservation in general re ains a ey issue. ne thing I thin that all e s could co e together on is a ca paign for a properly funded and independent govern ent wildlife conservation agency. fter any years of being shifted fro depart ent to depart ent at great cost to us ta payers struggling to wor properly with a skeleton staff in some regions and working under a succession of ministers who have just not wanted to deal with wildlife these issues have ta en their toll on the ational ar s and ildlife ervice to a point where it really isn’t fit for purpose. here are so e a a ing people there and they do the best they can under difficult and so eti es dangerous circu stances. ut we all need to come together and stand up for them and call for the wildlife agency that both we and our ora and fauna deserve.

I also have a re ective tone because these are y final co ents as chairperson of the Irish ildlife rust. fter seven years on the governing council it is ti e for e to ove on. I have been a e ber of the rust since I was years old and it is very close to y heart. I have seen it go through ups and downs however I thin we are through the worst of it and I hope the I will now go fro strength to strength. I would li e to than y fellow council e bers who have been with e on this long ourney in particular our for er vice chair arah ields. arah was an incredible support during y tenure. I would also li e to than our office anager arbara enderson who has been a great friend and a fountain of nowledge during y ti e at the hel . o our develop ent officer orraine it has been a great pleasure to wor with you for your first year with us. I wish the new inco ing chair avid c or ic the very best of luc and I would finally li e to than you our e bers for continually supporting us and the wor that we do. lease continue to do so and re e ber to encourage your friends and fa ily to oin us as e bers too. Irish wildlife needs as any defenders as it can get. ow if you can e cuse e the dogs are getting restless and I have a few trees to plant...

r aniel uc ley hairperson Irish

ildlife rust

contriiButors CHRIS HUXLEY is an ecologist who has

worked in around 50 countries on wildlife conservation. He has spent the last 15 years living close to Lough Carra and studying its ecology and biodiversity. His wife, Lynda, is a semi-professional photographer with a passion for the Mayo environment in general and Lough Carra in particular. For the past ten years she has produced a calendar and greetings cards with her pictures. Together they established a website devoted to the

Lough (www.loughcarra.org) in order to make the wide range of information more readily available to everyone. Their book on Lough Carra was published in March this year.

SINEAD O’BRIEN is coordinator of the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN), a network of 26 environmental organisations working together on water policy and protection issues (www.swanireland.ie).

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CONTENTS

Contents 4.

ABOUT US Discover more about the work of the IWT and how to get involved.

5.

CONSERVATION NEWS All the latest Irish and international conservation news.

8.

IWT NEWS avour of our su

12.

er activities and ca paigns.

EDUCATION Don’t feel guilty! Katy Egan discusses the need for awareness in order to tackle broken and inefficient syste s that lead to cli ate change.

13.

BRANCH FOCUS Barry Kavanagh outlines what was an actionpac ed year for the I avan ranch.

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WILD IDEAS Elaine Dromey on a summer of wildlife-related media hysteria.

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COMPETITION A chance to get your hands on a new book on County Mayo’s unique marl lake, Lough Carra, or Carsten rieger’s photographic e ploration of the urren.

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FEATURE – WATER WORLD Sinéad O’Brien of the Sustainable Water Network asks why only half of our waterways are classified as healthy.

22.

EXPLORING WILDLIFE Gordon D’Arcy considers the wonderful and varied insect defence mechanisms.

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AUTUMN FOCUS rophy hunting such as that which has seen the death of the now famous Cecil the Lion, is both frivolous and wrong, writes Billy Flynn

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FIELD REPORT hris u ley e plains why urgent action is needed to save one of urope’s ost i portant la es fro ter inal decline.

28.

OVER TO YOU selection of letters and photos sent in

by Irish Wildlife Trust members.

30.

IWT EVENTS Dates for your diary.

32.

ON LOCATION Kate McLaughlin on the beauty of urban ecological diversity.

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IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

About Us The Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979 and aims to conserve wildlife and the habitats it depends on throughout Ireland, while encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

IMAGES THIS PAGE: TOP: African lion (Autumn Focus on pages 24-25); CENTRE: Seagull, Ireland’s Eye (Conservation News on pages 5-7); BOTTOM: Bee orchid (see On Location on page 32).

Have comments?

Magazine queries, general wildlife questions or observations email: irishwildlife@iwt.ie All other queries email: enquiries@iwt.ie Phone: (01) 860 2839 Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, Sigmund Business Centre, 93A Lagan Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 11 Web: www.iwt.ie Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife

The IWT is dedicated to creating a better future for Ireland’s wildlife through: Motivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.

Education and raising awareness of all aspects of Irish wildlife and conservation issues.

Research of the natural environment.

Acquiring and managing nature reserves to safeguard species and habitats.

Lobbying decision-makers at all levels to promote policy in Ireland that provides a sustainable future for wildlife and people.

Working in partnership with other organisations to achieve results that matter for conservation.

Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.

The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Cork: corkbranch@gmail.com Facebook: search for ‘Irish Wildlife Trust – Cork Branch’ Dublin: Rachel, dublinbranch@iwt.ie facebook.com/DublinBranchIrishWildlife Trust, dubliniwt.blogspot.ie Waterford: Ray, iwtwaterford@gmail.com irishwildlifetrust.blogspot.ie Cavan: Barry, cavanbranch@iwt.ie www.facebook.com/irishwildlifetrust. branch Kerry: Pat, iwtkerry@gmail.com www.facebook.com/KerryIWT www.iwtkerry.blogspot.ie Sign up to their monthly newsletter!

Galway: Lenny, iwtgalway@gmail.com www.facebook.com/IWTgalwaybranch Longford/Westmeath: Noreen, iwtlongfordwestmeath@gmail.com Facebook: search for ‘Longford/ Westmeath Irish Wildlife Trust Branch’ Laois/Offaly: Ricky, iwtlaoisoffaly@gmail.com www.facebook.com/IWTlaoisoffalybranch

How can you help?

You, our members, make the IWT what it is. Through your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are benefiting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do: • Make a one-off donation to the IWT. • Give IWT membership as a gift.

• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out in different ways.

There are lots of ways to get involved, from work experience in specialist areas to getting your hands dirty at our sites or helping us increase membership at events.

See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the office directly.

• Do you have land that you would like

used for conservation? We are always on the lookout to establish new sites to enhance wildlife or provide education opportunities.

• Remember us in your will. Why not leave a lasting legacy towards conserving Ireland’s natural heritage? The IWT uses all funds towards our campaigns, managing reserves and our education programmes. Please visit www.mylegacy.ie.

• Set up a branch. Are you passionate about wildlife and are in a county that does not have an IWT branch? Contact the office and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie 4

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CONSERVATION NEWS

CONSERVATION

NEWS

Dr Debbi Pedreschi keeps us up-to-date on conservation news from Ireland and around the world.

IRISH NEWS

THE

SEAGULL

SCOUNDREL OR STOOGE? A Fianna Fáil senator has called for the cull of ‘vicious’ and ‘nuisance’ seagulls that are ‘invading towns’, ‘killing rabbits and lambs’ and ‘endangering society’ – by which he later clarified he meant endangering children. Denis O’Donovan said his concerns reflected that of British Prime Minister David Cameron after seagulls apparently killed a tortoise and a pet terrier in the UK, and followed on from his party colleague Ned O’Sullivan who last year claimed that seagulls “have lost the run of themselves completely”. Furthermore they are raucous, keeping people awake. Well how dare they!

These claims are misleading at best, and largely outrageous. They also signal a distinct lack of understanding of the natural world. Seagulls cannot be held up to the moral standards of humans, you cannot rationally converse with a seagull in the hopes that it will maintain active hours more suitable to your schedule and liking. Even more fundamentally worrying is the increasingly popular fallback for politicians for all wildlife issues: Don’t like it – kill it!

The truth of the matter is that seagulls are opportunists and will scavenge on a wide variety of available food items. Conflicts with humans come in the form of our wasteful practices that leave excessive amounts of food available for them, our colonisation

of coastal waters, and our overfishing practices. Furthermore, because of these issues we see gulls moving inland to cities and towns to avail of the easy pickings. This does not mean that there are more of them – in fact, the most recent figures available suggest that herring gull populations have dropped by approximately 60 per cent in the last decade, a decline so severe that herring gulls are now red-listed as a species of conservation concern in both Ireland and the UK. Reports of conflict with gulls tend to arise around the summer months as young chicks are getting ready to fledge the nest and are at their most vulnerable. Hence parents are at their most aggressive which can lead to the ‘dive bombing’ behaviour observed.

Gulls attempting to ‘steal’ food are generally a victim of domestication – feeding them emboldens them around humans. Another problem caused by people and discouraged by wildlife organisations!

Outrageous headlines and hysterical articles do nothing to solve the issues, nor to improve the reputation of the papers they appear in. Perhaps we would do better to curb our own bad behaviour and remember that these gulls often do us a service in removing waste food and animal remains from our beaches and roadsides.

DANGERS OF GIANT HOGWEED The dangers associated with the invasive giant hogweed, whose sap can cause severe blistering and permanent scarring, has once again been highlighted. The plant thrives around Irish gardens and riverbanks, and is thought to be on the rise. The plant leaves skin sensitive to light, and symptoms can reoccur for years.

In the UK a ten-year-old girl suffered third degree burns on her arms and face after coming into contact with the plant. Giant hogweed can be identified by its large size (often more than 5 metres tall), dark toothy leaves and its white flowers, produced in umbrellalike clusters. Its preferred habitat along river banks means it can present a significant threat to anglers. Where possible the plants should be killed and removed, with proper precautions and full protective gear in use.

Information can be found on the Invasive Species Ireland website www.invasivespeciesireland.com.

IMPORTANT: If contact has been made with the plant, the area should immediately be washed with soap and cold water and covered up from sunlight for 48 hours.

If a reaction is observed, seek medical help immediately.

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CONSERVATION NEWS

IRISH NEWS

IRELAND’S EYE BURNS

Photo:

Ken Doyle

SUSTAINABILITY MEETS ART AND ARCHITECTURE

After a year filled with controversial fires, it now seems no place is safe. Firefighting crews were called to battle a gorse fire on Ireland’s Eye off the coast of Howth over a number of days this June. The response team included three units of Dublin Fire Brigade being ferried out to the island and water drops by the Air Corps, however despite their efforts almost half of the island’s surface area, a favourite summertime expedition spot of the IWT’s Dublin Branch, was left scorched. It remains unknown if the fires were started deliberately. While uninhabited by people, the island is an important nesting spot for many coastal birds, including gannets, guillemots, razorbills and the ever popular puffins, and contains haul out sites for grey seals.

WHITE-TAILED EAGLE UPDATE

White-tailed eagle.

Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan.

Photo: Ros

Kavanagh Photography.

This June Dublin City Council and Codema launched the 5Cube on Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock as part of the EU funded Ace project. The moveable 4.2m cubed architectural structure, designed by de Siun Scullion Architects, is a physical representation of how much oil Ireland consumes every five minutes (473 barrels/75,000 litres). The cube was a winning entry from the Imagine Energy design competition held in 2013 and aims to get citizens thinking about our dependency on fossil fuels, and possible green energy alternatives. Its shiny black glass surface represents the oil, however this is contrasted against its self-sufficient structure with solar panels powering an information screen and an LED light feature that makes the cube glow internally. The cube features a kaleidoscope and a ‘sky mirror’, which aims to get citizens thinking about renewable energy sources. The mirrored side panels represent the amount of renewable energy Ireland currently uses versus our renewable energy targets for 2020.

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Another white-tailed eagle chick has died in its nest in Glengariff, Co Cork this July.

The ten-week-old chick died of natural causes only a few days before it was expected to fledge. The chick had appeared to be healthy up until that point and a postmortem revealed its intestine to be blocked by a sheaf of long tail feathers believed to be from a young crow.

Although devastating to the Golden Eagle Trust and all those involved in the conservation efforts, relief was expressed that it was not due to human influence such as poison or shooting. With four other eaglets hatched around the country this year, hopes remain high for the future of these magnificent birds.

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CONSERVATION NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TAIJI DOLPHINS REJECTED

BY JAPANESE AQUARIUMS

 Bottle-nosed dolphins, Japan

A fisherman’s cooperative in the infamous dolphin-hunting town of Taiji, Japan, which was the focus of the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, has vowed that they will never stop their dolphin hunting tradition despite a pledge by Japanese zoos and aquariums to stop using dolphins caught by their drive hunt methods. The pledge was taken after the Japanese chapter was suspended from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) because of the issue. Drive hunting involves herding groups of cetaceans into a bay using a wall of sound before being caught or slaughtered with knives in the shallow waters. Campaigners claim that without the support of the aquariums the hunt will be unsustainable as the cetacean meat is not popular enough to make it economically worthwhile. Disappointingly, five aquariums are considering leaving WAZA in order to continue sourcing their dolphins from Taiji.

EARTH ENTERS SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION Authors of a recent study in the scientific journal Science Advances have called for action as Earth enters its sixth mass extinction, which could end our survival on this planet. The researchers highlight how humans rely on a range of ecosystem services carried out by multiple species which provide our clean air and water, fertilise our soil, break down our waste and provide our food – services that have been valued at $145 trillion annually. Even using the most conservative estimates, time is running out to conserve threatened species, populations and habitats. Species are now disappearing at rates faster than any observed since the time of the dinosaurs. Using only verified data and fossil records of vertebrates, the research found rates twice as high as previous estimates: as many as 41 per cent of amphibians and 26 per cent of mammals are likely to be wiped out. People could be in danger in as little as three generations, particularly if key species such as honeybees disappear. The culprit responsible for this mass loss of life is human activity – particularly through land clearing, invasive species, carbon emissions linked to climate change, and toxic pollution. Although time is running out, the authors maintain that there is still scope to avoid the expected levels of biodiversity loss through intense conservation action.

GM HORNS SET TO TACKLE RHINO POACHING

The rhinoceros is under threat across its global range. It is estimated that 1,215 rhinos were poached from South Africa alone in 2014 representing a loss of 4 per cent of the world’s population, targeted for their horns for use in Asian medicine. A San Francisco-based company has come up with what may be a solution. The company, which is backed by IndieBio, a venture capital programme with links to Cork, plans to flood the market with genetically identical rhino horns to reduce the demand for the poached versions. 45 per cent of users said they would knowingly accept the labproduced alternative. A proportion of all sales will be used for the protection and management of wild rhinos. Meanwhile the Rhino Rescue Project uses a combination of ectoparasiticides and indelible dye to turn the inside of rhino tusks pink and poisonous to humans, rendering it useless for ornamental or medicinal use, but with no adverse effects on the rhino or the environment. This initiative, combined with the efforts of IndieBio, may lead to real changes for the future of this species.

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘15

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IWT NEWS

NEWS

CULLING OF DEER NOT THE ANSWER IN FIGHT AGAINST TB

By Pádraic Fogarty, IWT Campaigns Officer. his summer saw an unusual flurry of calls to cull various wildlife including foxes, pine martens and seagulls (see our conservation news and wild ideas section). It seems that any animal that poses the remotest nuisance is fair game. Meanwhile farmers across Ireland continue to suffer the scourge of TB in cattle despite 20 years of badger culling which was supposed to have eradicated the disease by now. However the Irish Farming Association (IFA) and the Irish

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Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) have been lobbying the Government to start culling deer, ostensibly to the same end. These calls come on foot of a report carried out by the Department of Agriculture which found that of 103 deer tested for TB in Wicklow, 16 showed lesions indicating infection with the disease. A similar study in Sligo found no evidence of TB in deer. As such there is no evidence that deer are contributing to the TB crisis by passing the disease to cattle. Meanwhile, a report

from the EU’s Food and Veterinary Office, based on an audit of Ireland’s TB eradication strategy carried out in 2014, found that much more could be done to control the disease.

Better testing and biosecurity measures on farms are simply not being prioritised while the authors state that their conclusions “clearly emphasise that additional measures are needed to achieve [the] final objective and to accelerate the TB eradication process”. The IWT has called on the Government to resist any measures to cull deer.

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IWT NEWS

UNREGULATED SCALLOP DREDGING IN MAYO

By Pádraic Fogarty, IWT Campaigns Officer.

T

he protection of the marine environment has traditionally lagged behind that on land and Ireland is no exception to this rule. This weak level of regulation was highlighted by the IWT and Coastwatch earlier this summer when we received reports of scallop dredging in Blacksod Bay, Co Mayo.

Photos of seagrass washed up on the shore told their own story of a habitat that has now been devastated by this unsustainable form of fishing. Scallop dredging anywhere is a destructive form of fishing as the seabed is scrapped clean using a metal ‘claw’ (as in the picture on the right). Any animal that cannot escape by swimming out of the way of the trawl will be gathered in the chainmail sack that follows behind. This includes sea fans, burrowing anemones, urchins and shellfish. Repeated dredging for scallops leaves behind a sea floor on which only the most resilient creatures can survive.

Blacksod Bay is nominally protected under EU law as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for its unique bird and marine life. However despite these safeguards, neither the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Bord Iascaigh Mhara nor the Marine Institute were able to intervene to stop the dredging when it was reported to them. Particularly shameful was Minister Simon Covenvey’s failure to act in a timely manner, something that may have prevented the continuation of dredging and what has likely been the devastation of the delicate and rich seagrass beds. Only in July, two months after the event, was action forthcoming from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to restrict the dredging.

This sorry tale has highlighted the painfully slow process of regulating commercial fishing activity in SACs and SPAs (collectively referred to as Natura 2000 sites), and the real threats they are under. Ireland has made clear commitments under international trea-

Scallop dredge.

ties and European law to designate marine protected areas, but the Blacksod affair clearly demonstrates that what we really have is a network of ‘paper parks’. The IWT

supports the rights of fishing communities who make their living in Natura areas (and elsewhere) but believes this must be done in a sustainable manner.

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IWT NEWS

ILLEGAL CUTTING OF HEDGEROWS CONTINUES...

By Lorraine Bull, IWT Development Officer.

W

hile hedgerows act as a boundary between adjacent lands, they are also crucial habitats for a myriad of flora and fauna species in Ireland. Birds use them for feeding, nesting, song posts and cover from predators; small mammals live and feed in hedgerows

Farmland in Co. Cork.

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and numerous insects live on the many species of plants. They are also used as wildlife corridors by bats and larger birds, such as birds of prey, feeding and moving between areas. They help protect water quality and prevent pollution, aid in flood alleviation and reduce soil erosion.

At present, Section 40 of the Wildlife

Act 1976, as amended by Section 46 of the Wildlife Amendment Act 2000, prohibits the cutting of hedgerows from March 1st until August 31st each year to facilitate nesting birds. However, last November, the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht launched public consultation for feedback on the issue, which led to the establishment of a working group by the Minister for the Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD, back in February, to consider views. Over the past few months this has sparked debate over whether the prohibited cutting dates should be changed and the legislation amended to take account of land management and road safety issues.

However, the current legislation already has extensive exemptions including: destruction in the ordinary course of agriculture or forestry; any works carried out for reasons of public health or safety; and clearance in the course of road or other construction works or development/preparation of sites intended for building.

With the decrease in over 4,500 hectares of hedgerows reported by the National Forest Inventory in 2012 and the sharp decline in farmland bird populations, any reduction in the prohibited cutting period or increase in exemptions will have a detrimental effect on wildlife. There are also problems with the lack of maintenance of existing hedgerows, causing them to become fragmented, which reduces their usability by wildlife.

The IWT receives numerous calls from members of the public confused by the legislation and concerned by the lack of interest when reporting illegal cutting to the authorities. Therefore, the IWT would like to see an extension to the closed season for hedge-cutting, with a simplification of the existing system of exemptions to reduce confusion, and also the issuing of better guidance to local authorities for hedgerow maintenance to ensure these crucial habitats are maintained into the future.

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IWT NEWS

THE IWT – OUT AND ABOUT OVER THE SUMMER!

By Lorraine Bull, Development Officer.

EVENTS, NETWORKING AND EDUCATION

The summer months are generally packed with IWT events and education, and this year was no exception. We were once again at Bloom in the Park and at the Rose Festival in St. Anne’s Park in Raheny, Dublin, meeting existing members and recruiting new ones. We also took part in the Native Species weekends at Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, which were great for meeting families to talk about Irish wildlife.

Waterways Ireland for sponsoring these events. For information on our events, check out the events page at the back of this issue and on our website: www.iwt.ie/events, Facebook pages and Twitter.

Canal-side walks

.

IWT EDUCATION

e Park.

Bloom in th

Rose Festiva

l.

BATTY ABOUT BATS

Throughout July and August, the IWT hosted bat walks in Kerry, Leixlip, the Phoenix Park and along the River Dodder in Dublin. The response to the walks was overwhelming and it’s great to see there’s such interest in looking at our native bat species. If you are interested in the IWT hosting a similar event in your area, please let us know.

CANAL-SIDE WALKS SPONSORED

BY WATERWAYS IRELAND

In August, we delivered walks along sections of the Royal Canal in Maynooth and the Grand Canal at Hazelhatch and in Dublin city to explore the biodiversity found in and along our canal ways. Often overlooked, these areas provide vital habitats for a myriad of species and we would like to thank

The IWT has been busy conducting education workshops for various county councils and interest groups. In June, we took part in NEAR TV’s science series. The outdoor class, which was filmed on Portmarnock beach in Dublin, taught students about the various marine fauna found in rock pools and the importance of rock pool ecosystems.

We then conducted similar outdoor classrooms for 5th and 6th classes on Killiney and Seapoint beaches for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, where students were taught about marine fauna as well as the physical geography of South County Dublin. While in Kildare, we delivered workshops on biodiversity and drawing wildlife for Kildare County Council libraries. If you would like the IWT to come and visit your school or library, please email: enquiries@iwt.ie for further information, or get in touch with your local council’s education department.

THE IWT AT KNOCKSINK

In order to expand our range of educational events, the IWT will be hosting a series of workshops on flora and fauna identification at the Knocksink Education Centre in Wicklow. They will be run throughout September and we would like to thank the National Parks and Wildlife Service, who are allowing us to use the centre.

APPLE’S MATCHING GIFTS PROGRAMME

Following our visit to Apple on Earth Day, we conducted our first workshop with Apple employees under Apple’s Matching Gifts programme. Apple’s Match ing Participants visited Gifts programm e. the Gearagh Nature Reserve in Cork to learn about the ecology of the reserve and to discover the techniques for smooth newt and butterfly surveys and the impacts of invasive species. Everyone had a great day and we look forward to hosting the next workshop later this year. If your company would be interested in finding out about our corporate programmes, please email: enquiries@iwt.ie for further information.

MINI MEADOWS

The IWT’s Mini Meadows project launched this summer to encourage people to leave an area of their lawn uncut to allow native plants to grow for pollinators. As part of this, we visited a wildflower restoration project in Mount Merrion, Dublin (see Kate Mac Lochlainn’s report in this issue), as well as discovering the myriad wildflowers that are growing on a site close to the IWT headquarters in Glasnevin. If you would like further information on the project, please get in touch.

EPA WATER CONFERENCE AND THE SWAN PLENARY

The IWT attended the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) Plenary as part of their delegation to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Water Event Conference in Galway. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Working together from Source to Sea’, which emphasised the value of public engagement and an Integrated Catchment Management approach to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. The EPA also launched their Water Quality report for 2010-2012, which was long overdue.

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EDUCATION

BAD SYSTEMS OR BAD PEOPLE?

In order to tackle broken and inefficient systems that lead to climate change, we need . to become aware of these systems and how we exist within them, writes

C

li ate change is officially on the public agenda. The science is in and the doubt is out. Even the Pope is now on board with the release of his encyclical Laudaoto Si’.

Climate change is here. It’s happening. Now. he evidence of it can be seen everywhere.

In the news it looms under our noses in a variety of headlines elting rctic ice rising sea levels displacing thousands of people creating cli ate refugees acific Islanders fearing for their ho es and way of life due to sea level rise record high te peratures around the globe hurricanes ocean acidification and uch ore. ven Ireland has been showing the effects with increasingly unpredictable wetter and warmer weather (and who thought that was possible?).

If there is such a unanimous consensus as to the cause and effect of climate change why are so any of us tearing our hair out at the lack of action being ta en at all levels of society u ans are a a ing. ur ability to come together and combat a single problem or co on ene y is inspiring. ro ending world wars to stopping the hole in the o one layer we have succeeded in overcoming the odds. However, when it

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comes to climate change, it is not a single proble it’s not even a clear series of proble s. or is it a co on ene y we can band against. In fact so e say that the ene y is us after all it is our actions that are causing climate change. The result is an enor ously co ple proble that doesn’t feel immediate in people’s minds.

One of the most common approaches to raising awareness and motivation for acting on climate change is often to point out how bad we are being when we take certain actions. ow wasting water or energy is bad for the environment. The implicit message here is that we are bad people for doing these things. However, it is not useful to suggest that people are good or bad for emitting carbon. We each do what we can to survive as individuals such as buying food that will feed our families as best we can afford. When so eone goes out to buy a bag of potatoes they are not actively loo ing to destroy the planet. hey are trapped within a networ of larger syste s that do not allow the to behave in a way that would protect it. e have bad syste s bad people. o tac le these bro en and inefficient syste s we first need to beco e aware of the and how we e ist within these syste s.

Part of the problem is our perception of

ourselves as individuals. e are not si ply individuals. We are part of larger social, ecological and political syste s. e will succeed together or fail together, but we are not and never have been alone.

It is not all bad news, far from it, and in Ireland we have several a a ing e a ples of people that are tac ling these syste s in a variety of ways. he food cloud pro ect prevents food fro going to landfill and redirects it to families who are struggling to get by see www.foodcloud.net). This is what is called a leverage point for change. It is effective on any levels ecological and social. here are other e a ples of these leverage points, such as ‘Go Car’ and the bike rental schemes in Dublin and other cities. llot ents co unity gardens food forests and the Grow It Yourself culture that is evolving. pcycling preloved freecycle and charity shops are all redirecting aterials fro landfill sites. icrogeneration s art grid and renewable energy. he list goes on and it is all happening in Ireland and contributing to similar efforts around the world. he ost effective way we can help tackle climate change is to engage with and support better ore efficient syste s that are in line with how ecological syste s function so don’t feel bad!

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BRANCH FOCUS

It’s All Happening in Cavan!

 Fishing hooks.

 Small copper butterfly. Photo © Roger Hale.

Barry Kavanagh fills us in on an action-packed year for the IWT Cavan Branch.

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t’s been an eventful past 12 months for the IWT Cavan Branch, hosting 15 different events throughout the period.

It all kicked off with a photography competition, which we held in August last year for the IWT’s Wildwatch Week. Its aim was to capture the intrinsic natural beauty of Co Cavan and to showcase the results for a twoweek period in our local library. I have to admit we were taken by surprise by the interest and quality of the entries. It was so well received that a neighbouring library asked if we would exhibit them for a further four-week period, which we were delighted to do. We are hoping to repeat the competition every two years.

During December 2014 we held a renewable energy day hosted by Brian and Donna Mullen at Golashane

Farm and Nature Reserve where we all shared their woodland thinnings for the cold December evenings.

Our community engagement was very strong with projects ranging from planting hundreds of trees in Ballyjamesduff and Carnaross; transforming Maghera Village, near Virginia, Co Cavan with the help of a very forward-thinking community; to wild ower sowing in ailieborough and carrying out an ecological survey at Belview Stream near Ballinlough, Co Meath.

A couple of our more memorable events were our Bioblitz at Reuben McElwaine’s farm and our Nature Day at the garden of Tommy and Janet McGuigan, both of whom deserve a medal for their efforts when it comes to natural awareness/ conservation and being such lovely people.

An unfortunate event was forced upon us in May 2015 when a number of

swans were found dead and injured at Bailieborough Town Lake. An autopsy found they died from strangulation from discarded fishing line and hoo s. call of action was sent out and every metre of the lake was combed until all traces of fishing e uip ent were recovered.

Goska, our ecologist, is forever dreaming up new events! She was kept busy with a number of talks on invasive species and a revival of bilberrypicking that she organised on Fraughan Wednesday at Girley Bog, Co Meath.

Finally, I would like to personally thank all our members and friends that make these events worthwhile and a special mention for Eilish McGowan (the grafter of the bunch), Goska for all her time and expertise, Donna and Brian for their energy and Tommy and Janet McGuigan for their eccentric brilliance.

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27/08/2015 15:50

WILD IDEAS

A SUMMER TO

REMEMBER

It’s been a summer of savage seagulls, marauding pine martens and alien plant invaders, writes Elaine Dromey.

W

hat a summer it has been for hysteria-inducing headlines about the natural world, from tales of seagulls savaging sheep in the depths of Kerry, pine martens posing a threat to small children in Co Longford to the sudden interest in the proliferation of Japanese knotweed in the west Cork countryside. It appears that in Ireland the media’s interest in the environment can only be stimulated if they can report it in a negative light.

THE GULLS THAT HAVE ADAPTED TO LIVING IN URBAN AREAS GO VIRTUALLY UNNOTICED

BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE YEAR UNTIL LATE IN THEIR BREEDING SEASON.

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have resulted in some gull species adapting to living in urban areas. The gulls that have adapted to living in urban areas go virtually unnoticed by the general public for the vast majority of the year until late in their breeding season. It is at the point that they have young in the nest or young edglings that the general public suddenly comes face to face with nature in the form of over-protective gull parents. While some are relatively accepting of the territorial nature of the gulls for a short time period, there are others who are less patient and begin the yearly scare story reporting and calls for a cull.

In addition to territorial gull stories we are also treated to infrequent stories of gulls swooping down to steal ice cream or other food items from humans. The thieving gull syndrome can probably be attributed to some urban gulls being fed by people and thereafter assuming that all humans with food items are fair game.

The solution to this is pretty easy: don’t feed the gulls, put your waste in the bin and don’t leave rubbish about to attract them. There is no easy solution to the issue of territorial gulls (well there is, but it isn’t what the general public wants to hear). But if the media could stop reporting the sensational stories and instead focus on the positive it would be a good start.

Seagull savages?

Unprotected pine marten

Let’s begin with the savage seagulls. First of all there is no such thing as a seagull. Secondly, gulls have never been limited to the sea or coastal areas (many of the species have always lived inland for at least part of the year) and lastly, it is hu an in uences on the natural world that

Another story that caught my eye in the Longford Leader on July 15th was the call by members of Longford County Council to have the pine marten taken off the protected species list.

Shannonside FM also reported the story claiming that the pine marten has become a serious

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WILD IDEAS

Seagull at Slea Head. Photo: Ryan Schreiber/Flickr.

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WILD IDEAS

Japanese knotweed. Photo: Zabdiel via Flickr.

scourge in Co Longford and has been accused of “killing domestic foul” [sic]. Shannonside also reported that one of the councillors feared it would take a more serious incident with a child to have the issue dealt with. This story was a perfect example of local media reporting on an issue without doing any research. A pine marten weighs on average 1.5 kg, is largely nocturnal and eats small mammals, insects and berries. It could easily be confused with the much more common and non-native mink which is also the most likely culprit for the stealing of domestic fowl and gun club pheasant chicks. The pine marten population in Ireland is currently recovering from a period of decline most likely caused by persecution by landowners and gamekeepers who saw them as a threat to game birds and their eggs. The pine marten is listed on Annex II and Annex IV of the Habitats Directive so it is safe to say that a species of European importance is unlikely to be removed from any list any time soon.

JAPANESE KNOTWEED ONLY APPEARS TO HAVE CAUGHT PUBLIC ATTENTION NOW BECAUSE IT MAY IMPACT DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS AN INFESTATION.

Pine marten. Photo:

Flickpicpete via Flickr.

Public in a knot Japanese knotweed is the other species that appears to have caught the public interest this year. his plant is of particular interest to e as I studied it as part of y final year project. At that time I read a lot of papers, and all talked about how easily this plant could spread and the impacts it would have on native biodiversity. That was 1997. Now, al ost years later it appears that the plant has finally entered the consciousness of some of our elected representatives. Japanese knotweed only appears to have caught public attention now because it may impact development in areas where there is an infestation. Unfortunately the sensationalised reporting largely focuses on the impacts it may have on those wishing to develop land, but little more than a nod is given to the potential impacts on biodiversity. Back in 1997 my limited little experimental study found that the diversity of invertebrate fauna and ground ora was significantly decreased by the presence of apanese notweed. he plant appears to shade out the ground ora and build up leaf litter that isn’t as attractive to invertebrate fauna. Unfortunately there seems to be less interest in exploring the impact of species such as Japanese knotweed on our biodiversity and much more interest in worrying about not being able to build.

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Pine marten. Photo:

Alastair Rae/Flickr.

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ult), ry

nes rt).

n o i t i t e p m o C

COMPETITION

In this issue we have a chance for our readers to win one of two fantastic new publications!

The first, from Chris and Lynda Huxley, renowned Mayo naturalists, charts the changing fortunes of Lough Carra, the second a visual exploration of the Burren from well-known photographer Carsten Krieger.

For the past fifteen years, Chris and Lynda Huxley have studied and photographed County Mayo’s unique marl lake, Lough Carra.

Their lavishly illustrated book covers a wide range of topics, including archaeology, geology, history, art, literature, terrestrial fauna and flora, aquatic ecology and angling and provides a comprehensive summary of what is known about the Lough and its surrounding land.

The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher on the Wild Atlantic Way are among Ireland’s most enigmatic and magical places. This is the rockiest part of Ireland, a limestone or karst landscape home to a unique combination of wildflowers and wildlife, and an ancient and rich heritage. Man and nature are deeply entwined in the Burren and have shaped each other over the millennia, and Carsten Krieger’s This is the Burren explores this wondrous landscape in beautiful photographic detail.

To win one of these great new books just answer the following question:

What does the acronym WFD stand for?

Send your answer, name and address, along with the preferred title to irishwildlife@iwt.ie

by November 1st.

Summer’ 15 Winners: In our summer issue we gave our readers a chance to win one of five new walking titles from Collins Press, including the Iveragh Peninsula, East of Ireland rivers and canals, the Dingle Peninsula, the Beara & Sheep’s Head Peninsulas and the Kerry Way. The question we asked was: Which northern peninsula is celebrated for its rich diversity of wildlife in the summer issue of Irish Wildlife? The answer was the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal.

The winners are: Helga O’Donnell from Dunmore East in Waterford, Michael O’Shea from Kilgarvin in Kerry, Liam Kidney from Athlone in Westmeath, Robert Gault from Craigavon, Co Armagh and Damien O’Sullivan from Skibbereen in Cork.

Congratulations to you all and thanks to all who entered!

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27/08/2015 15:57

FEATURE

Water World Water & Wetland Protection in Ireland Why are only half our river, lake and estuary systems classified as healthy and what can we do about it? Sinéad O’Brien of the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) investigates.

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reland’s aquatic resources – our rivers, lakes, wetlands, groundwater and coastal waters – are a wonderfully rich resource for nature and for people. For us they are places for peaceful relaxation or for action and adventure. For nature, they are home to a dazzling array of plants and ani als fro e uisite ooplan ton and uir y caddis y larvae to dolphins otters ingfisher and the iconic sal on.

Carlingford Lough.

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FEATURE

But less than half of our river, lake and estuary systems are classified as healthy. his is despite a 15-year-old law which, on its introduction, was hailed as one of the most progressive of its kind in the EU: the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The directive’s deadline for waters to reach healthy status, apart from some limited exemptions, was this year. Yet more than half our river systems have failed.

Water Quality in Ireland, 20102012. Only half of our river stretches, lakes and estuaries are in good health and achieving mandatory WFD standards, and sadly the number of high quality sites has almost halved since 1987. These are our most pristine river stretches, home to our most endangered species like the freshwater pearl mussel and salmon. Also, half of our groundwater (51 per

Cattle river access. Photo: SWAN.

of a river, water is extracted for industrial and domestic use reducing ow volu e.

All of these activities and developments may individually represent tolerable pressures, but cu ulatively the ris agnifies damaging the ecological health of the river system.

PRESSURES AND THREATS Because it permeates the Irish landscape and because of the many uses to which it is put, water is subject to a multiplicity of pressures and threats. Ireland’s waterways, groundwaters and bays are the final recipient and carrier of many of the chemicals and pollutants that we release, knowingly and unknowingly, while going about our business.

Some of these are absorbed and diluted by soil and water. Many, however, persist in the water environment and interact in ways we do not yet understand. any find their way into water supplies; some are removed by water treatment, some are not. Water pollution is not the only threat. Habitat destruction and physical alterations to our rivers, lakes and coast, such as dredging, development and draining of wetlands, also have a serious cumulative effect.

The result of all these pressures comes into sharp focus in this year’s Environment Protection Agency (EPA) report,

EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE Cow pat. Photo: Pamela Maher.

cent) is contaminated with faecal matter and presents a public health risk where this water is used untreated in, for example, private wells.

The story of a river and its catchment is an intricate one.

The pressures begin soon after it bubbles from its mountain source and escalate as it ows to the sea. Silt run-off from forestry, especially clear-felling, can cause significant water pollution in upland areas.

Agricultural chemicals, slurryspreading, and leaks from faulty septic tanks take their toll once

Slurry spreading. Photo: Vicky Veerkamp.

BECAUSE IT PERMEATES THE IRISH LANDSCAPE AND BECAUSE OF THE MANY USES TO WHICH IT IS PUT, WATER IS SUBJECT TO A MULTIPLICITY OF PRESSURES AND THREATS. the river reaches more heavily farmed and populated areas.

Discharges from urban sewage treatment plants and industrial operations are added to the mix in the lower reaches. Drainage of wetlands, dams, building on oodplains and other physical alterations change the natural course of the river and leave less space for nature and natural processes. And along the course

The WFD came into force in 2000 with the aim of tackling these myriad pressures on Europe’s waters by setting ecological targets to be met by 2015, with some limited exceptions, and requiring EU Member States to develop integrated ‘river basin management plans’ to meet them. While the Directive has been the driver for a modest move towards more integrated water management in Ireland, this year’s EPA water quality report reveals the lack of any real progress. So why are we so far behind target, 15 years on?

LACK OF FUNDING AND POWERFUL RESISTANCE TO CHANGE There are three main reasons.

Firstly, because river catchments cross country and county boundaries and are subject to a diverse range of threats, protecting them is a complex task which must involve all relevant Government departments and state agencies working together.

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FEATURE

This is anathema to many of the and a debilitating lac of coordination persists.

The current River Basin Management Plans have been dee ed unwor able by officials themselves because of this. econdly although the situation has i proved investment in sewage treatment is still woefully inade uate.

Seven large urban areas still don’t eet re uire ents for sewage treatment set by the rban astewater reat ent irective bac in and raw sewage is still being discharged at places around the country including several well nown seaside resorts such as oughal in ounty or . Irish ater has said that even by they still won’t be fully compliant with this year old law due to a lac of resources. hirdly achieving healthy river and coastal syste s eans cutting down on pollution and habitat da age fro certain sectors; sectors which will ultimately have to alter their behaviour, potentially incurring a financial cost in

Trout. Photo: Mark Thomas.

the process. Powerful lobby groups for these sectors are, unsurprisingly, vigorously resisting change, insisting that they are contributing to economic growth. Their position falls in line with Government policy in many cases, for example, on agricultural intensification and a uaculture as well as forestry expansion.

It’s an enormous challenge for environmental groups to act as a counter-balance to this prevailing push for unfettered yet ‘sustainable’ growth.

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

Heron. Photo: A. Kelly.

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If we are to commit to healthy river and coastal syste s in Ireland and eet our legal obligations under the the currently frag ented syste of water ad inistration ust be overhauled to provide

ACHIEVING HEALTHY RIVER AND COASTAL SYSTEMS MEANS CUTTING DOWN ON POLLUTION AND HABITAT DAMAGE FROM CERTAIN SECTORS... a catch ent based syste involving all state bodies working together. There has been some progress. The establishment of a catchment science unit in the EPA is very welcome; the work they are doing will provide the ost accurate picture to date of what is contributing to a uatic ecosyste da age. welve co unity water officers are

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FEATURE

WHAT YOU CAN DO...

While managing a whole water catchment is a specialist job, and not everyone wants to sit on a stakeholder forum, there are simple things that everyone can do to cut down water wastage and the pollutants they release:

Discharge pipe. Photo: Bojana Ferjan.

A WELL-PROTECTED AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT PROVIDES CLEAN, SAFE AND HEALTHY WATER FOR NATURE, FOR PEOPLE AND FOR BUSINESS. due to be put in place this year and a new Local Authority ational office is currently being set up to co-ordinate river basin management. There is a fear though that it will continue the traditional fragmented local authority approach.

Crucially, the government also needs to prioritise a healthy water environment by adequately funding water services and water protection.

While environmental groups are supportive of a fair and equitable water charge, the fiasco of Irish ater and the

Seal by Bojana Ferjan.

utter lack of political interest in water matters, beyond avoiding the ne t Irish ater controversy, is of serious concern to SWAN, as it distracts from actions needed to protect the water environment.

It is crucial that the ne t set of River Basin Management Plans, due next year, contain concrete measures, making it clear in particular to agriculture and businesses that behavioural change is now inevitable and necessary. And there must be govern ent support for this. In parallel, active involvement of

local communities in managing their local river or beach needs to be supported, in addition to structures for the participation of all sectoral representatives so there can be an open dialogue regarding the future we want for our water environment and what we need to do to get there.

CALL TO ACTION The Department of the Environment has a consultation open until December on ignificant ater anage ent Issues’. he draft docu ent has already been heavily criticised for down-playing the scale of the problems. You can read it here: www.environ.ie/ en/Publications/ Environment/Water/ FileDownLoad,41917,en.pdf.

Keep an eye on the SWAN website (www.swanireland.ie) and Facebook page as we will be drafting some key points for you to include in a submission.

A well-protected aquatic environment provides clean, safe and healthy water for nature, for people and for business. So far, half our river systems are failing to meet that healthy standard and serious action is needed to fi this. is wor ing to ensure this happens.

• Don’t leave taps running or constantly dripping: a tap dripping at a rate of once a second wastes about 10,000 litres of water over a year; • Use phosphatefree dishwasher and laundry products; • Think carefully about what goes down the drain as this may end up in your local river or bay.

Do not pour paints, wood preservatives, solvents, varnish, pesticides or acids down the drain. Bring them to the appropriate waste facilities; • Minimise the use of bleaches, disinfectants and anti-bacterial products. Consider buying an environmentally friendly product instead; • Collect rainwater for watering your garden and washing your car; • One-third of all water used in the home gets flushed down the toilet.

Put a brick or plastic bottle into the toilet cistern to cut down the amount of water per flush; • Avoid using pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals in the garden unless absolutely necessary; • If you have a septic tank, empty it regularly and ensure it is serviced by an authorised company; • Take an interest in your local river, lake or beach. Contact the local authority if you have concerns about it.

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27/08/2015 16:00

EXPLORING WILDLIFE

WARNINGS

By Gordon D’Arcy.

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ecently, while abroad and lying beneath an apple tree in the sunshine, I found myself looking in on an interesting insect drama. A rotten apple at my feet had become a food source for three different insects – a co a butter y a wasp and a black ant. It was fascinating to see how the insects interacted. The butter y and the ant clearly intent on maximising the opportunity to take in the sweet juice, kept a discrete distance from the wasp, wary no doubt of the threat it posed. When the wasp came too close to the ant it simply scuttled off to the side, returning later when the coast was clear. he butter y on the other hand held its ground and when the wasp approached snapped its upright wings closed suddenly, obviously to startle the wasp and keep it at bay. The action, though of necessity repeated time and again, had the desired effect: such simple cleverness.

I was reminded of other lepidopteran smartness. The large and beautifully ar ed peacoc butter y for instance which habitually snaps its wings open, startlingly revealing its pair of cat-like false eyes, unsettling to a predator. I have seen some large moths, (the emperor for instance), employ a similar tactic.

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SELF-PRESERVATION Being so utterly vulnerable to predation the range of strategies for self-preservation that have evolved among insects at all stages of development is mind-boggling. Some butter y and oth caterpillars particularly the large ones, display striking defence ploys in warning off predators. The ‘hairy molly’ caterpillars of tiger and ermine moths, covered with mildly poisonous hairs, are repugnant to most birds (with the exception apparently of cuc oos . he finger si ed hirsute caterpillar of the oak eggar thrashes about vigorously when touched or rolls into a tight ball in an effort to prevent capture.

The multi-coloured puss moth larva swells up grotesquely to look more like a miniature mammal than a caterpillar, bearing no resemblance to the imago moth it is destined to beco e. he ost bi arre of these is surely the caterpillar of the aptly named elephant hawk-moth, which on swelling to twice its nor al si e e ploys a twin set of false eyes to resemble a small snake, an impression a plified by the vigorous waving of its e tended trun ’. aw ies in their larval stage resemble small moth caterpillars and like some species elevate and wave their bodies in an effort to deter predation.

I recently watched a goaded rove beetle (devil’s coach horse) turn decidedly aggressive in defence. The feisty creature curved

up its body, scorpion-like, before sinking its substantial sharp aws into the finger of the person holding it. At the height of its performance two sparkling false eyes appeared in its rear end conveying a sinister double-headed look to the creature. Hassled earwigs will ‘arch-up’ like rove beetles but less threateningly.

The aptly named shield bug (also called the stink bug) relies on the exudation of foul-smelling liquid from its rear end to ward-off a predator and should be handled gingerly to prevent it leaving its pungent

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EXPLORING WILDLIFE

BEING SO UTTERLY VULNERABLE TO PREDATION THE RANGE OF STRATEGIES FOR SELF-PRESERVATION THAT HAVE EVOLVED AMONG INSECTS AT ALL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT IS MIND-BOGGLING.

Peacock butterfly by Mike Brown.

calling card on one’s hand. Several species of ground beetle have a similar facility including the large black churchyard beetle found in crypts and caves. The oil beetle, recognisable by its waistcoat-like elytra, will, as its name implies, exude a nasty oil-like secretion when disturbed. Another, the snail devouring Cychrus caraboides, squirts a jet of nasty yellow liquid from its hind end when annoyed. he ightless bloody nosed beetle releases a drop of bloodli e uid fro its mouth, having the effect, apparently, of deterring birds. Some of these beetles

also squeak audibly when threatened. The most remarkable member of this family (found in southern England but not to my knowledge in Ireland) is the bombardier.

This centimetre-long green and brown beetle lets off audible farts of burning gas – like puffs of smoke – from its rear end to deter potential predators. (Close-up video images of this extraordinary behaviour in a laboratory setting can be seen on the internet).

Some mini-beasts announce their unpalatability in colour. Burnets and cinnabar moths accumulate poisons –

hydrocyanic acids and histamine substances in their body uids in the course of feeding on various plants. Their red and black colouration is a ‘don’t eat me’ warning to predators. hese sluggish day ying lepidopteran species, in contrast to their nervous butter y relatives thus en oy impunity from predation. Ladybirds also display this facility, their striking red and black colouration announcing their unpalatability. They will also drive home their unsuitability as a menu item by exuding a bead of stin ing uid if harassed.

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27/08/2015 16:01

AUTUMN FOCUS

TAINTED TROPHIES Trophy hunting, such as that which has seen the death of the now famous Cecil the Lion, is both frivolous and wrong, writes Billy Flynn.

“FRIVOLOUS AND WRONG”

– that is how big game safari company owner Leo Bronkhurst has described the charges being levelled against him. These charges relate to the role of Mr Bronkhurst in the killing of a lion just outside the boundaries of a national park in Zimbabwe.

Unless you’ve been on another planet or stuck in a cave for the last two months, you’ve heard all about it. Cecil – now probably the world’s most famous lion – was killed by an American trophy hunter on the first of uly last. It is alleged that the hunter a Walter Palmer from Minnesota, with the help of Mr Bronkhurst, lured the animal from the protection of Hwange National Park and shot it with a crossbow. Very good information exists on Cecil’s whereabouts then and over the next two days as the ‘hunter’ tracked the wounded animal before killing him, as he was satellite tagged. Cecil was already quite famous before his killing as he had been intensively studied throughout his entire 13-year life by researchers from Oxford University.

When the news of the killing broke, the worldwide reaction was unparalleled. or a start there was instant vilification of al er who had allegedly paid US$55,000 to Bronkhurst to facilitate the hunt.

It is reported that al er a dentist has had to leave his ho e and close his practice in order to avoid furious protestors who have left graffiti and nu erous articles such as headless lion toys and ani al parts at his home and surgery. Heads of state, wildlife experts and famous conservationists around the world condemned the killing. owever the fiercest critics have been ericans the selves aghast at the act. In the wee that this article was written the three biggest American airlines (Delta, American and United) have said that they will no longer carry hunting trophies of the big five’ frican ani als.

An image of Cecil was projected upon the Empire State Building in New York and celebrities lined up to express their revulsion.

CONTENTIOUS ISSUE On the face of it, it’s hard to describe the act as anything else but revolting. The lion, once a very popular attraction of the national park owing to its distinctive mane, was cynically killed for no other reason than to provide ‘sport’ and a trophy for Palmer and a lot of money for Bronkhurst. The way it was carried out bears no resemblance to how many responsible hunters 24

would describe hunting. It’s hard to see anything positive in such an act but the literally incredible response to the killing has thrown wide open the issue of big game hunting for money.

It has long been argued by proponents of such safaris that without the income they generate, no conservation could be supported in a sustainable manner and the rare and desirable ‘trophy’ animals would face overwhelming pressure from habitat loss and competition for space with agriculture. Those who support – and indeed participate in – licensed hunting activities say that their businesses help to thwart illegal poaching as well as conserving the habitat of the coveted species. This is probably true – to a certain extent.

If one elderly individual ani al is illed in order to provide long term protection for a large pride and bring in many dollars to a developing nation then why not follow this model of sustainability?

Well, there are several reasons why not. This is an endangered species for a start, throughout all of its natural range. The relatively high numbers of African lions in zoos worldwide belies this. Despite

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AUTUMN FOCUS

IT’S HARD TO SEE ANYTHING POSITIVE IN SUCH AN ACT BUT THE LITERALLY INCREDIBLE RESPONSE TO THE KILLING HAS THROWN WIDE OPEN THE ISSUE OF BIG GAME HUNTING FOR MONEY.

 The African lion.

the protestations of the truly ignorant – check out Sarah Palin’s contribution to the debate for some light relief – this species is under real pressure for its very existence in several parts of Africa. Lion Aid, a UK-based lion conservation group says that the killing of Cecil was not a unique occurrence. Corruption, exceeding of quotas and luring animals from protected areas are all commonplace.

Over the decade to 2009 it is estimated by the charity that trophy hunters in Zimbabwe killed around 800 lions out of a population up to 1,680 in this country. In theory, the money from organised and licenced safaris will go to local economies and support active conservation programmes as well as other needy areas in and around national parks. However, there is not enough evidence to suggest that this money makes it to where it is needed and instead it lines the poc ets of those prepared to profit fro the trophy hunting.

Secondly, different kinds of trophy hunter, the wildlife photographer and the wildlife-watching safari tourists, are also a huge source of revenue for these countries. Unlike private hunts, these activities tend

to be better regulated and controlled with the revenues generated more often going where they should. These really are sustainable activities which rely on conservation and vice versa. Finally, why should we permit any of the ‘trophy’ species to be shot at all when the fate of the species is so uncertain It is deeply unscientific to allow a legal reduction in numbers of species in serious decline when the interaction of the pressures on the animals is only being understood now. The world has surely moved on from the days when wealthy foreigners could e ploit finite indigenous resources in exchange for some money into the hands of the unscrupulous.

At time of writing, the Zimbabwean government has stated that it had begun extradition procedures in order to bring Palmer to face charges in Zimbabwe. The trial of Bronkhurst has been delayed until the autumn. It will be interesting to see how this will play out in the Zimbabwean courts. On the world stage, trophy hunting of endangered species has already been judged. It’s frivolous and wrong.

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FIELD REPORT

LOUGH CARRA

a jewel of the west

Lough Carra brims with wildlife, but its once pristine waters are under threat. Text by Chris Huxley and images by Linda Huxley.

T

he West of Ireland is renowned for the quantity and quality of its inland waters. Rivers, streams, loughs, ponds and turloughs are scattered across the landscape like jewels. Among these aquatic gems, there is one which is truly unique: Lough Carra in County Mayo.

This lough is the uppermost in the Carra/

Cloondover.

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Mask/Corrib system that forms a major part of the Great Western Lakes of Ireland and that drains a huge catchment in the two counties of Mayo and Galway. Although relatively small in comparison with Loughs Mask and Corrib, Lough Carra’s 1,500 ha have the distinction of being, at least for the moment perhaps, the best example of a shallow, marl lake in western Europe.

As such, it is of enormous ecological and

conservation importance. Indeed, it is for that reason that the lough was designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the European Habitats Directive.

But it is not just the aquatic environment that is of great value, as the lakeshore holds some of the richest terrestrial habitats in the country. Situated on the carboniferous limestone that is, in effect, an outlier of the Burren, the lakeshore has a mixture of limestone pavement, grassland, fen, marsh, reed swamp, scrub and woodland.

These habitats harbour a fantastic variety of wildlife, including over 400 species of higher plants species of butter y species of dragon y and of Ireland’s orchid species. Indeed, naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger was clearly impressed with the orchid display and mentioned that he had never seen marsh helleborine in such profusion. I believe that the Carra lakeshore is probably the richest orchid site in Ireland. he presence of dense owered orchid and spring gentian demonstrates the biogeographical link to the Burren.

140 bird species have been recorded at the lough and at least 83 of these have bred there. There is an autumn/winter starling roost in the reedbeds with up to birds but even ore i portant is the swallow roost in August when as many as 30,000 come together each night in the reedbeds or bulrushes.

We are lucky that Carra has been the object of much investigation over many decades. Praeger and “Robin” Ruttledge both spent time exploring its habitats (the latter lived on the lakeshore for many years) and in the s and s a tea led by Brian Stronach carried out intensive studies of the wildfowl. Their work provided the

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FIELD REPORT

LOUGH CARRA RETAINS MUCH OF ITS WONDERFUL BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL VALUE, ALTHOUGH GRADUAL AND CONTINUING DEGRADATION OF THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT AND TERRESTRIAL HABITATS ARE CAUSE FOR CONSIDERABLE CONCERN.

Marsh fritillary on knapweed.

baseline against which we can measure current populations. Not with optimistic results, I’m afraid, as many duck populations have crashed catastrophically.

In particular, mallard, tufted duck and red-breasted merganser have all suffered declines in excess of 90 per cent. Although hard evidence is sparse, it seems likely that the arrival of American mink, coupled with increased hooded crow numbers and changes to both breeding and wintering habitats are to blame. Similar declines have occurred in the breeding waders, especially lapwings and ringed plover. A few redshank and common sandpiper pairs hang on, but predator numbers allied to overgrazing continue to be of concern.

With just about all the protective legal designations possible, one would have thought that the aquatic environment for which the lough is so important would be well looked after but, sadly, this is far from true. Dramatic increases in the conversion of semi-natural habitats into improved agricultural grassland (25 per cent of the land area in the catchment in 30 years) with concomitant increases in livestock numbers and the application of chemical fertiliser and slurry have resulted, not unexpectedly, in the nutrient enrichment of the lough. Between 1970 and 2003, cattle numbers rose by 42 per cent, sheep by 136 per cent. Slurry application has risen by 300 per cent and chemical fertiliser use by 90 per cent.

It is not at all surprising that nutrient enrichment has become a serious problem.

The process of eutrophication is evident

Filamentous algae.

in many aspects of the aquatic ecology, but has been masked to some extent by the very nature of the lough. The thick layer of marl on the lakebed has the ability to soak up nutrients, especially phosphates, and thus act as a buffer, preventing the water from rapidly becoming ‘pea soup’. However, once the marl is saturated with phosphates, further inputs are likely to produce a more dramatic and long-lasting change in the ecosystem. The evidence collected by a team from Trinity College Dublin suggests that this point has been reached, or is at least very close, which is perhaps why they refer to it as an “ecological time-bomb”.

More recently, Cilian Roden, an expert in calcium-loving water plants known as

charophytes, has surveyed the aquatic plants and reports worrying changes, including loss of water clarity and the spread of at least one invasive alien species. His work led to the National Parks and Wildlife Service recognising that Carra’s ecological status is unfavourable and inadequate and that future prospects are bad and declining.

Lough Carra retains much of its wonderful biodiversity and ecological value, although gradual and continuing degradation of the aquatic environment and terrestrial habitats are cause for considerable concern.

We have the legal and administrative mechanisms to arrest and reverse the decline and must hope that the relevant authorities will take the necessary action.

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27/08/2015 16:09

FEATURE FOCUS MEMBERS’ LETTERS

OVER TO YOU It’s been an interesting summer full of interesting weather, and our readers (as always) have been out and about spotting wildlife from all around the country. Here are some of the letters and tweets you’ve been sending into us this summer.

Hitting the Tweets eD

ing this summer:

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Here’s what you’ve been say

jamie d @jamspangle ly Autumn.

I hate to say it, but it’s definite too. @WildIreland Whimbrels back on the lake @Irishwildlife an Luke Heffernan @blueheffern in woods today, Plenty of Peacock butterflies ishwildlife Dungarvan, Co. Waterford @Ir @Wildlife_IRE @ukbutterflies Domhnall Finch @Finch_D_ erpillar earlier today Found this funky Peacock cat ishwildlife while I was out and about @Ir

e Trust on Twitter Why not follow the Irish Wildlif st news about how @Irishwildlife and get the late dlife for all! we’re protecting Ireland’s wil

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Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘15

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27/08/2015 15:41

MEMBERS’ FEATURELETTERS FOCUS

LIFE ON CANVAS Hi IWT, particular interest I am a wildlife painter with a spent the last in Irish birds of prey. I have just have been drawing year painting all our raptors. I kid in the early and painting since I was a small the 80s and hold 60s. I studied commercial art in er worked in the a diploma in the subject. I nev nted and drew industry as such, but instead pai most – that being the subjects that interested me e. animals, birds and other wildlif and travelled to I was also a keen photographer ns in the 90s. It was Africa on a number of occasio hawks and other a delight to see so many eagles, to home in Spain raptors in the wild. Even closer nplace in their wild birds of prey were commo national parks. our own Irish birds It is only now that we can see have just completed of prey making a comeback. I and hope to exhibit oil paintings of all our raptors I am very lucky to them soon before I sell them. ntarf and my next be living near Bull Island in Clo winter visitors! project will be our waders and Kieran McElhinney, Dublin M: 085 140 8684

If you have a story, question, or an image you’d like to share with us, or, God forbid, even a complaint, send it to irishwildlife@iwt.ie

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27/08/2015 15:42

IWT EVENTS

Events

There are plenty of Irish Wildlife Trust events taking place around the country this autumn, from woodlands strolls in Kerry to otter surveys in Galway. As always, enjoy!

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN KERRY SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

COASTWATCH TRAINING

BOOK TALK AND SIGNING

DATE/TIME: Sat September 12th, 10am VENUE: The Oyster Taver, Spá, Kerry

DATE/TIME: Thurs October 8th, 7.30pm VENUE: Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre, Tralee Renowned bird photographer and author Eric Dempsey will be giving a talk on his new book, Don’t Die in Autumn, following by a book signing.

The Coastwatch training day and seashore walk session is being run in conjunction with Coastwatch Ireland as a training and information session for the upcoming annual Coastwatch Survey, which begins on September 15th.

NOVEMBER

WILDLIFE UPDATE DATE/TIME: Thurs November 19th, 7.30pm VENUE: Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre, Tralee Barn owls, kestrels and curlews – renowned bird photographer, author and artist Michael O’Clery will provide an update on his work this year with these iconic species.

WOODLAND STROLL DATE/TIME: Sun November 1st, 2pm VENUE: Ballyseedy Wood South Entrance, Tralee Join the branch for an autumnal stroll through the beautiful Ballyseedy Wood to look at how the woodland prepares itself for the coming of winter, and to learn more about that most seasonal of groups, the fungi.

As always, queries can be directed to iwtkerry@gmail.com, or to education@traleebaywetlands.org.

More information can be found closer to the date on our blog iwtkerry.blogspot. ie or on our Facebook page Irish Wildlife Trust – Kerry Branch. You can also contact the centre directly on 066 712 6700.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN DUBLIN SEPTEMBER

Come on a rock pooling session with the IWT’s Dublin Branch and find out more about the marine ecosystem along our coasts and the animals that live in them. A great morning for all the family. The event will last approximately 1.5 – 2 hours. For further information, please contact: enquiries@iwt.ie

GREEN DRINKS – CLIMATE CHANGE DATE/TIME: Tues September 1st, doors 6.30pm; talk at 7pm VENUE: Top floor, J.W. Sweetman (formerly Messrs Maguires), 2 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 COST: Free This month’s Green Drinks will cover the topic of climate change with Deirdre Lane.

To RSVP please email dublinbranch@iwt.ie

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ROCK POOLING DATE/TIME: Sat September 5th, 11am VENUE: High Rock, Portmarnock, Co Dublin DIRECTIONS: Meeting point is at the lay-by overlooking High Rock on the coast road in Portmarnock, between the Martello Tower and Malahide Football Club (between bus stops 3618 and 3592).

Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult and everyone should wear some waterproof boots or wellies as we will be exploring the tidal pools.

Booking essential. The event is free but donations are very welcome.

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IWT EVENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GALWAY SEPTEMBER

with regular group survey outings planned on different waterways in and around the city. If you’re interested in being involved, please email iwtgalway@gmail.com

IWT AGM DATE/TIME: Sun September 13th, 2pm VENUE: Westwood Hotel, Newcastle The branch is hosting the AGM of the Irish Wildlife Trust this year. The meeting takes place on Sunday, September 13th at 2pm in the Westwood Hotel in Newcastle, and will be followed by a group excursion to Merlin Woods.

The Galway Branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust will be running its otter survey of Galway city throughout the autumn and winter,

The Galway Branch is also planning two woodland outings for the autumn. One will be to Garryland Wood near Gort, the other to Gortacarnaun Wood in the Slieve Aughty Mountains. The latter woodland is isolated and difficult to access, so places on the walk will be limited, with IWT members getting priority. For details email: iwtgalwayvgmail.com.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN LAOIS/OFFALY BADGER CLUB AT HALLOWEEN DATE/TIME: Fri October 30th, 7pm VENUE: TBC COST: €5 per child

DON’T MISS OUT! Book your place at the Hallowe’en fancy dress party today!

The Badger Club Monsters and Monster Moves Halloween fancy dress party will take place at the end of October. Booking is required – call or text Ricky on 085 783 2545.

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER TABLE QUIZ DATE/TIME: Fri November 13th, 7pm VENUE: Lethean Bar, Portlaoise The branch fundraiser table quiz will take place this November, with great prizes and the famous rubber dart round!

Tables of four are available for €40.

BADGER CLUB ARTS AND CRAFTS AND WILD GAMES DATE/TIME: Sun November 15th, 12 – 2pm VENUE: St. Mary’s Youth Centre, Tullamore, Co Offaly

WILD FOOD FORAGING

WINTER WILDLIFE WANDER

DATE/TIME: Sun October 4th VENUE: Mountmellick, Co Laois COST: €15

DATE/TIME: Sun November 22nd, 10.30am – 1pm VENUE: Lough Boora Parkland, Boora, Co Offaly

A fun-filled day of wild food foraging and preserving will be held this October around the town of Mountmellick, with foraging taking place in the morning and back to a commercial kitchen for cooking and preserving in the evening.

Places are limited – to book call Ricky on 085 783 2545.

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27/08/2015 17:45

ON LOCATION

UNEXPECTED ORCHIDS Kate McLaughlin on the wildflowers that appear in the most surprising of places.

I

t’s 30 years since I stood beside an unassuming patch of parish land, waiting for a child out of school. Sunny, mid-June. My ga e fell on a ower in the grass at first idly then with sharpening interest: surely, surely – wasn’t that a bee orchid? As seen in postcards of the Burren? Yes, indeed it was, and close by it the common spotted orchid, the birdsfoot trefoil, knapweed, dogdaisy. I was standing in the middle of a patch of limestone grassland with any owering plants.

Right here in a built-up Dublin suburb.

For many years since that chance discovery, this priceless little patch of meadow is carefully maintained with a mowing schedule that favours seed production from the plants present: the numerous cowslips which are the glory

32

 Bee Orchid. Photo by A Kelly.

of spring to the orchids of summer, bee orchids, pyramidal orchids, twayblade and common spotted. Later in the year we will see hawkweeds, and honeyscented lady’s bedstraw. I and a handful of local enthusiasts keep watch so that no unwanted cutting or planting takes place.

The site is located in Mount Merrion, Co Dublin on parish land adjoining the local church and primary school.

Every year we hold a short guided walk to show the beauties of our little meadow, always close to midsummer day. And we wage a polite war against the local worthies who sometimes mistakenly think that long grass looks “weedy” or try to help wildlife along by randomly planting trees! I’ve also brought groups of local schoolchildren there and have shown them a simple survey tool – using a piece of rope to make a circle about

300mm across, they can count every single plant species in it, a valuable education (they always note the many insects too)!

A patch of very mixed, species-diverse li estone grassland li e this is a very fine example of bio-diversity in action: at the ground level, the mosses keep soil damp (it is otherwise quite dry). Below the soil, the grass-roots maintain an environment in which fungi can nourish the roots of orchids, fertilised by the leguminous plants, the trefoils, medick and clovers. nce I did a survey of the owers with a local botanist and on the two quite small patches the final count was species of owering plants including four orchids ten grasses, two sedges and one rush. That’s not counting the transient locals – the brambles and nettles at the edges, and the surprisingly common oak and ash seedlings.

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27/08/2015 16:22

HERITAGE IN

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18/8/14 15:50:45 FINE ART PRINTS - BOOKS - WORKSHOPS

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Help support Irish wildlife this Christmas by giving the gift of membership... … perfect for the nature lover in your life!

Gift members receive all the benefits of being an IWT member, including our quarterly ‘Irish Wildlife’ magazine, plus a Christmas card for you to present to them.

Or why not consider a family or junior membership gift, which includes quarterly copies of the IWT’s ‘Badger Club’ kids’ magazine, featuring a fold-out wall poster!

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