WINTER the BRAVING Winds
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Chairperson’s Comment
Dear Friends of the Irish Wildlife Trust
“A misty winter brings a pleasant spring, a pleasant winter brings a misty spring.”
As we close out the year, I nd myself re ecting on the challenges we face as a nation and as global citizens in protecting our precious environment. It’s impossible to ignore the political decisions and delays that undermine the progress we desperately need. It feels devastating and paralysing. But in those moments, I remind myself that the only ones that bene t from our fear are the polluters. When I look for the hope spots, I think of you— our members, volunteers, and supporters.
Across the country, our sta and our branches are leading incredible e orts to protect and restore nature. From community-led habitat restoration projects to educational events and local advocacy campaigns, the work already underway is nothing short of inspiring. ese initiatives show that when people come together, real change happens—and they remind us of the power of grassroots action.
Recently the Irish WIldlife Trust Board, Sta and some of our branches gathered in Monaghan, in Castleblayney and also at Ballybay Wetlands Centre. We learned of the excellent work undertaken there. Liam Murtagh gave a compelling talk to educate us on the ongoing work for the protection of beautiful Lough Muckno. Our newest Board member, Sinead Hogan shared an inspiring update on the Monaghan Branch’s e orts. eir work to map the Dromore River and collaborate with local landowners to encourage native planting along its streams and tributaries is heartwarming. As Sinead explained, this project has many bene ts including acting as a bu er to prevent pollutants from getting into the waterway, ood prevention and providing a contiguous wildlife corridor.
Your energy, your resilience, and your love for nature are the reasons we continue this ght. You give me hope every day. e inspiring work happening in our branches and the tireless e orts of our sta is proof that we can and do make a di erence. ank you for standing with us, for speaking out, and for refusing to give up. Together, we will keep pushing forward. e natural world is counting on us—and I know we are up to the challenge.
As 2024 comes to a close and it feels as though Mother Nature herself is resting, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas season with your loved ones and nd time to get out and enjoy nature.
ank you for all your support this year; let’s make 2025 a year of renewed hope and action.
Warm regards,
Anne Hannan Chair, Irish Wildlife Trust
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. Irish Wildlife is 100% recyclable, so if you do choose to throw it out, please put it in the green bin.
Contents page credits:
Grey wolf. Photo: iStockphoto
Cerknica wetland. Photo: Esther-Mary D’Arcy
Hedgehog (Erinaceous europaeus). Photo: Mike Brown
European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Photo: iStockphoto
Dunlin Photo: Mike Brown
Caterpillar stage of the Oleander Hawk-Moth. Photo: iStockphoto
Irish Hare by Mike Brown
the
The ecological issues with salmon farming
Marion Jammet delves into the recent EU pushback against carnivores
ASSEMBLY IDEAS
Pádraic Fogarty makes the case for the repeal of the Arterial Drainage Act
Learn about a new urban fox survey
Why do some trees keep their leaves
Rabbits and hares under threat
Your chance to win a copy of
Editorial Team: Kieran Flood & Marion Jammet
Magazine queries email: editor@iwt.ie
About Us
e 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.
e 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.
Supported by
e IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Dublin: dublinbranch@iwt.ie; facebook. com/DublinBranchIrishWildlifeTrust
Waterford: Denis, waterfordbranch@iwt.ie
Kerry: Ger, iwtkerry@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/KerryIWT
Limerick: limerickbranch@iwt.ie; https://www.facebook.com/ IWTLimerickBranch
Galway: Dan, iwtgalway@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/IWTgalwaybranch Laois/Oaly: laoiso alybranch@iwt.ie Monaghan: monaghanbranch@iwt.ie
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
You, our members, make the IWT what it is. rough your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are bene ting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do:
Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, 8 CABRA ROAD, DUBLIN 7, D07 T1W2
Web: www.iwt.ie
Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife instagram.com/irishwildlifetrust/
Registered Charity Number: 20010966
• Make a one-o donation to the IWT.
• Give IWT membership as a gi .
• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out. ere are lots of ways to get involved, from helping with important admin work in our o ce to helping us increase membership by volunteering at public events. See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the o ce 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? e 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 o ce and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.
IMAGES THIS PAGE:
TOP: Dunlin. Photo: Mike Brown
BELOW: Hedgehog. Photo: Piotr Laskawski via Unsplash
CONSERVATION NEWS
IRISH NEWS By Emily Nolan, IWT Communications Officer
A Rare Visitor: The Oleander Hawk-Moth Spotted in Ireland
This September brought an unexpected and exciting discovery to Limerick City—a rare Oleander Hawk-Moth (Daphnis nerii), the first recorded sighting of its kind in Ireland since 1997. The discovery was made by Noel Curtin. Noel was taking an early morning walk when he noticed an unusual moth resting at the bottom of a shop window in Limerick. Intrigued, he sent a photo to Mike Quirke, a committee member on the Irish Wildlife Trust Limerick Branch. Mike subsequently posted the image in the Insects/ Invertebrates of Ireland Facebook page to confirm his suspicions of the identity of the species. The moth was confirmed as an Oleander Hawk-Moth—a species rarely seen this far north. In fact, there have only been seven recorded sightings in Ireland between 1938 and 1997, making this the first discovery of the species in the 21st century.
WHAT IS THE OLEANDER HAWK-MOTH?
The Oleander Hawk-Moth, also known as the Army Green Moth, is a migratory species typically found in Sicily, Crete, Cyprus and Northern Africa. These moths are known to travel vast distances, occasionally reaching northern Europe, including England, and rarely, as far as Scotland or Ireland.
As pollinators, hawk-moths play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of their environments. The Oleander Hawk-Moth primarily feeds on nectar from fragrant flowers like jasmine,
"THE FIND GENERATED GREAT EXCITEMENT WITHIN THE BDBD (BUTTERFLIES, DAMSELFLIES, BEES, AND DRAGONFLIES) GROUP, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE LIMERICK BRANCH OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST TO PROMOTE INSECT
RECORDING ACROSS THE COUNTY"
honeysuckle, and periwinkle, while its caterpillars thrive on toxic plants such as oleander. This remarkable adaptation allows the caterpillars to avoid predators while contributing to the life cycle of their host plants.
Hawk-moths are examples of extraordinary sensory ecology. Equipped with large, highly sensitive eyes, they
skillfully navigate and forage in low-light conditions, relying on a combination of visual and olfactory cues to locate nectarrich flowers. Their long, specialized proboscises allow them to hover and feed without landing, demonstrating remarkable agility and efficiency as pollinators. Although efficient, this flight pattern is energy intensive and as these
The latest national and international news from the conservation world, compiled by Emily Nolan.
Oleander Hawk-Moth spotted in Limerick.
Photo: Noel Curtin
hawkmoths are reliant on specific plants, they are especially vulnerable to changes in habitat quality. Additionally, their unique adaptations are important for pollinating plant species, particularly those with deep nectar spurs, underscoring their essential role in maintaining ecological balance.
The discovery connects Ireland to habitats far beyond its borders. As a migrant species, the Oleander HawkMoth reminds us of the delicate balance required to sustain global biodiversity. Protecting these species and the many other migratory species that make their way to Ireland, means caring for the environments they rely on throughout their migratory routes, from the flowers of North Africa to the gardens and hedgerows of Europe.
THE POWER OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
The discovery of the Oleander HawkMoth is a remarkable example of the power of citizen science. A chance observation by an engaged member of the public brought this rare moth to light, proving that biodiversity monitoring isn’t limited to professional scientists.
The find generated great excitement within the BDBD (Butterflies, Damselflies, Bees, and Dragonflies) group, which was established by the Limerick branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust to promote insect recording across the county. "There are no ‘experts’ in the group, just people who want to learn from each other and share their local knowledge," said Rhiannon Laubach, the newly appointed committee member of the IWT Limerick Branch. "In 2025, the group
plans to monitor local habitats for damselflies and dragonflies throughout the seasons and encourage butterfly and bee recording in Limerick for submission to the National Biodiversity Data Centre."
Biodiversity is everyone’s responsibility, and chance sightings like this demonstrate the importance of having keen eyes and open minds in every corner of the country. Community initiatives like Limerick’s BDBD group play a vital role in fostering collaboration among enthusiasts of all skill levels. These groups create invaluable networks for sharing observations and contributing to national databases such as the National Biodiversity Data Centre. If you'd like to get involved, you can reach the IWT Limerick branch at limerickbranch@iwt.ie
A CALL TO PROTECT OUR SHARED ECOSYSTEMS
The sighting of the Oleander Hawk-Moth in Ireland is more than just a rare event— it is a reminder of the interconnectedness of life and the importance of protecting biodiversity on a local and global scale. With over a quarter of species assessed by the IUCN Red List now at risk of extinction, each observation, no matter how small, contributes to our understanding of the natural world and strengthens the case for urgent action. This remarkable visitor may have fluttered into Limerick by chance, but it leaves behind an important message: our ecosystems, no matter how far apart, are deeply connected. We all must ensure they remain healthy and vibrant for all species, both common and rare.
When was the last time you saw a hedgehog in your garden? It’s a question that may leave many of us pausing to think. For a creature once so common across Europe’s gardens, parks, and hedgerows, the absence of hedgehogs in our daily lives is a stark reminder of the challenges they face. Once a familiar nighttime visitor, hedgehogs are now listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List — a sobering sign of their declining populations.
WHAT IS THE IUCN?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world’s leading authority on the state of biodiversity and the efforts needed to protect it. Since its establishment in 1948, the organization has united governments, nongovernmental organizations, scientists, and conservationists to tackle global environmental challenges. Its most wellknown tool, the Red List, evaluates the extinction risk of species worldwide and serves as a critical resource for guiding conservation strategies. For species like hedgehogs, the IUCN's work highlights not just their plight but also the urgent need for action.
WHY ARE HEDGEHOG POPULATIONS DECLINING?
The decline of hedgehogs is a complex issue, but human activities are at the heart of the problem. Habitat fragmentation caused by urban sprawl, road networks, and intensive agriculture disrupts the ability of hedgehogs to navigate their environment safely. Roads, in particular, present a deadly challenge. Hedgehogs
Caterpillar stage of the Oleander Hawk-Moth. Photo: iStockphoto
NEWS By Emily Nolan, IWT Communications Officer
Where are all the HEDGEHOGS?
• Avoid using pesticides or chemicals that harm both hedgehogs and the insects they feed on.
• Provide shelter by leaving log piles, compost heaps, or overgrown areas where hedgehogs can rest and hibernate safely.
• Encouraging natural insect habitats is another way to support hedgehogs. By planting native trees and bushes such as hawthorn, willow or hazel; allowing wild owers to grow in your grass, or just by letting parts of your garden grow wild, you provide a sustainable food source for hedgehogs while also boosting overall biodiversity.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
rely on their natural defense mechanism— curling into a ball when threatened—to protect themselves from predators like foxes or badgers. Tragically, this instinct o ers no protection against cars, turning roads into a major threat to their survival. Additionally, the widespread use of pesticides in gardens and on farms reduces the insect populations that hedgehogs depend on for food. In some cases, these chemicals can even directly poison the hedgehogs themselves. With an average lifespan of just two years, hedgehogs typically reproduce only once or twice. So, with such limited reproductive opportuni-
"HEDGEHOGS
ties combined with less food sources and limited safe shelter, maintaining population numbers is very di cult.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP HEDGEHOGS?
e solution starts close to home. Advocates like the Mammal Society emphasize the importance of wildlifefriendly gardening. Simple changes in your garden can make a big di erence for hedgehogs. For instance:
• Create “hedgehog highways” by leaving small gaps in fences to allow hedgehogs to roam freely between gardens.
AREN’T JUST CUTE GARDEN VISITORS BUT AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE ECOSYSTEMSILENT SIGNPOSTS POINTING TO THE HEALTH OR DECLINE OF OUR NATURAL WORLD"
Hedgehogs are more than just a symbol of European wildlife — they are crucial indicators of ecosystem health. eir presence signals that the environment is thriving, with su cient vegetation to provide cover and abundant food sources like insects, worms, and slugs. ese small mammals not only play an active role in pest control — helping to manage slugs and snails naturally — but they also re ect broader environmental stability. As indicator species, hedgehogs are sensitive to changes in their habitat, such as pesticide use, habitat fragmentation, and declines in invertebrate populations. When hedgehogs disappear, it o en points to underlying problems a ecting the wider ecosystem, such as depleted soil health, loss of vegetation, or disruptions to food chains. e decline of hedgehog populations re ects a broader crisis impacting countless other species, many of which may not capture the same public attention. If we allow such a cherished species to vanish from our gardens, it raises deeper concerns about the state of less visible wildlife that also depend on these habitats and our ability to protect them. With over a quarter of the 166,061 species assessed by the IUCN Red List now at risk of extinction, the loss of hedgehogs would be yet another indicator that we are failing to safeguard the delicate balance of life that sustains us all.
Hedgehogs aren’t just cute garden visitors but an essential part of the ecosystem - silent signposts pointing to the health or decline of our natural world. By taking steps to support their survival, we not only help them but also contribute to the health of our shared ecosystems.
Hedgehog (Erinaceous europaeus). The Irish name is ‘An Gráinneog' meaning 'little ugly one'. Photo: Mike Brown
Hedgehog populations have declined by 30% over the last decade according to the IUCN. Photo: Piotr Laskawski via Unsplash
ACTIVITY UPDATE
By Kieran Flood, IWT General Manager
Strengthening Our Network
As I write this update it feels like an ill wind is blowing. Pushback against the green transition has been reflected in election results on both sides of the Atlantic, the fallout of which is just beginning to become apparent. One clear example can be found here in Europe. As this magazine goes to print, a proposal by the European Commission to downgrade the protected status of the wolf in Europe has just been voted through at the Bern Convention. There is no scientific basis for this downgrading, and it appears to be politically motivated. Following the European Parliamentary elections this summer, when parties striving to protect and restore nature did very poorly, the new EU Commission has far less ambition for nature protection and is pushing back against the European Green Deal. We are facing EU and US governments that are seeking to turn
"THE IWT GATHERING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STAFF, BRANCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO ALL GET TOGETHER AND FOCUS ON BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY"
back the tide on society's drive to restore nature and combat climate change. Meanwhile, we must wait and see what will happen at home. At times like this, resilience and hope are paramount. The values of the IWT are Courage, Community and Integrity. We will continue our work to engage the people of Ireland with nature and to build support at community and government
level for biodiversity protection and restoration.
This November we had our first IWT Annual Gathering. The IWT gathering is an opportunity for our staff, branch committee members and Board of Directors to all get together and focus on building our community. This was the first such gathering in many years and we plan to run a gathering on at least an annual basis from now on, growing the event to include the broader IWT membership. The gathering was hosted by our IWT Monaghan Branch. We spent a day together in Castleblayney, sharing updates on our work throughout the year and discussing the opportunities and challenges of strengthening and growing our branch network. Growing our organisation’s network on the ground is a strategic pillar of the IWT and will be key to building resilience and playing our part in driving local action to protect and restore nature.
These actions are already evident within our network. Over the weekend we heard of our Limerick Branch’s Butterflies, Damselflies, Bees, and Dragonflies group. This is a local initiative supporting people to learn the skills needed to record and monitor these important insects in their community. On the second day of the event, we travelled to the Ballybay Wetlands, where we learned firsthand about the work of our Monaghan Branch to map and protect their local river catchment. The group have been ground-truthing GIS mapping of the Dromore River catchment and helping to show the biodiversity value of the river and the need to enhance this through increasing riverine woodland connection. They are also advocating to have nature-based flooding solutions enacted in the catchment, which would be an excellent example for others to follow across Ireland.
In 2025, we will continue to strengthen and build our network throughout Ireland. By working together, we can stand strong within the winter winds and bring about the change our country and planet needs. We have already started.
IWT gathering 2024. Some of the group at Ballybay Wetland. Photo: Samir Bettayeb
GLOBAL POLICY UPDATE
By Grace Carr
Grace Carr reports from COP 16 in Cali Did the world manage to Make Peace with Nature?
The Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force in December 1993 and it has three main objectives.
1. The conservation of biological diversity.
2. Sustainable use of biological diversity.
3. Fair sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
The Conference of Parties (COP) is the main decision making body of the Convention and it consists of 196 parties. In 2022 at the fifteenth meeting of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP15), the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted which put in place measures to halt biodiversity loss, including putting 30% of land and sea globally under protection by 2030 (now known as 30x30). At this year's COP16 in Cali, Colombia, concrete measures to finance the delivery of these targets needed to be agreed upon.
THE FUNDING GAP
30x30 is an ambitious target considering that globally only 17.6% of land & inland waters and 8.4% of ocean & coastal areas are considered under protection by the Protected Planet Report 2024 (this figure drops even lower if we look at what areas are effectively managed and monitored). However, the target for funding was anything but ambitious. In 2022, the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund was created to help countries achieve the targets within the GBF. Developed countries agreed to give 20 billion per year into the fund to help developing countries protect biodiversity by 2025 and then increase this payment to 30 billion per year by 2030. This fund is not a charity. Developed countries are the largest consumers and polluters on the planet, while developing countries are paying the price of ecological degradation first. Currently the total that has been
"CURRENTLY
pledged into the Global Biodiversity Fund is US$407 million which is a far cry from the 700 billion needed to effectively implement the goals of the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework and restore biodiversity.
Time ran out after 2 weeks of negotiations and at the close of the conference this pressing issue remained unresolved. There has been an impasse in negotiations due to many developed countries wanting text agreed on the monitoring and reporting aspects of the agreement before contributing to the fund while developing countries need sufficient funds for conservation actions to occur including the resources to put together the monitoring and reporting plans. Countries failed to approve a technical set of indicators on monitoring to assess national progress. As the discussions were suspended due to overrunning, the UN biodiversity
THE TOTAL THAT HAS BEEN PLEDGED INTO THE GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FUND IS US$407 MILLION, WHICH IS A FAR CRY FROM THE 700 BILLION NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE GOALS OF THE KUNMINGMONTREAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK"
secretariat said that governments would need to resolve these issues before the next COP in 2026. Many countries voiced their frustration at important financing and resource mobilisation issues being left until the final moment.
Developing countries hold huge percentages of the world's biodiversity and unfortunately the inadequacy of the global financing system is forcing many countries into promoting damaging extractive industries. They are having to waive their ecological stability in order to maintain financial stability and in the end we will all pay the price for this.
BIODIVERSITY CREDITS
Biodiversity credits were being promoted in the run up to COP16 as a potential tool to finance biodiversity restoration and protection. At an EU event during COP16, representatives from the European Commission highlighted that biodiversity credits will not be used as a tool for offsetting the destruction of biodiversity elsewhere and that they do not want the commodification of nature. While this is encouraging to hear, it raises the question of what exactly the benefit of biodiversity credits will be for financial institutions and businesses. This was not clearly addressed at the COP and it appears that it will be easy to abuse this system and for ‘greenwashing’ to occur without any meaningful changes being employed. Many civil society organisations around the globe are worried about the exploitation of biodiversity credits and believe that the use of this tool will perpetuate biodiversity loss. Spending time developing this system also delays the critical systemic change that is needed in order to combat the main reasons for nature loss such as industrial extractive activities and damaging industrial agriculture.
POSITIVES FROM COP
On a positive note, a significant victory for Indigenous peoples rights was secured at this COP. There will now be a permanent subsidiary body for Indigenous peoples to the Convention. This body will ensure the full involvement of Indigenous peoples and knowledge and highlight how critical their cultures are to the conservation of biodiversity. This body will be fully involved in future decisions on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It has been announced that discussions
Some progress was made on increasing indigenous peoples representation at future
Indigenous peoples held a silent protest during COP 16 to raise awareness for the need to ensure their rights and knowledge were acknowledged through a permanent subsidiary body
"ON A POSITIVE NOTE, A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS WAS SECURED AT THIS COP. THERE WILL NOW BE A PERMANENT SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO THE CONVENTION"
will resume at the end of February 2025 in Rome to address unresolved issues around financing, monitoring and reporting from COP16. A key focus will be mobilisation of a new resource strategy aiming to secure 200 billion dollars annually by 2030 from all funding sources for biodiversity initiatives. Parties will also be expected to encourage further inputs to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund and to finalise progress measuring tools.
Let’s hope that these issues can be solved before COP17 in Armenia in 2026 as we are running out of time to effectively address the global biodiversity crisis. Ireland will have an important role within EU negotiations at COP17, as we will hold the presidency within the EU Council at that time.
Photos by Grace Carr
COPs
MARINE
NEWS By
Grace Carr, IWT Marine Advocacy Officer
Salmon farmingAn Ecological Disaster
There is no denying that farming salmon (Salmo salar) is damaging to the environment, goes against animal welfare conditions and puts wild salmon populations at risk. In fact, in 2018 at a meeting of the world’s largest Atlantic farmed salmon company, Mowi, the original founder of the company stood up and gave an impassioned speech on the companies damaging practices. He commented specifically on the threat it bears on future generations and called for a move to land based farms. This same company is one of the largest producers of farmed salmon in Ireland.
There are no open net salmon farms in English waters and they are banned in several countries around the world. In countries where they can be found, such as Norway, there are high taxes for licences and companies are encouraged to construct land based farms. Even in countries where they are permitted, such as Chile, they are not allowed in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). So why are they permitted (and encouraged) in Irish waters and worst of all, placed in supposedly protected areas?
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES WITH SALMON FARMING?
There are many problems with salmon farming, such as environmental pollution, animal welfare issues,its threat to the stability of the red listed wild salmon population and the sheer volume of wild fish caught to be used as fish meal for the farms.
POLLUTION & SEABED ECOLOGY
Farmed fish are contained within pens and the animals are filled with antibiotics, toxic chemicals and artificial colourants. Even regulations on ‘organic’ farmed salmon are slack and these fish can also be treated with a myriad of products. Waste from thousands of fish settles on the seafloor and it has been shown that changing tides and currents do not do an effective job of clearing the waste. This waste is changing the chemistry of the seabed and having a knock on effect on the benthic species that live there (Benthic organisms are bottom-living animals that may live on the seafloor or below the sediment). Decomposing matter uses up oxygen in the water and toxins from the farm reduce water quality and increase harmful algae blooms.
"WHY ARE THEY PERMITTED (AND ENCOURAGED) IN IRISH WATERS AND WORST OF ALL, PLACED IN SUPPOSEDLY PROTECTED AREAS?"
A wild Atlantic salmon.
Photo: Christin Breuker
ANIMAL WELFARE
While moving open pen salmon farms to a land based model, could help decrease the damage to the marine environment, it doesn’t prevent the extreme breaches to animal welfare which occur in this practice. Wild salmon undergo huge migrations across marine and freshwater ecosystems. Keeping these fish in barren, crowded pens and forcing them into a monotonous existence goes against what they are ecologically programmed to do. Due to these cramped conditions, disease is rampant among the animals. Lesions are usually found on the fish indicating any number of diseases and sea lice infestations are rife. Divers who have witnessed the conditions farmed salmon face, have said that the fish are being ‘eaten alive’ by sea lice. Fish are sentient creatures with a complex nervous system that allows them to feel pain. People may assume that because fish cannot voice distress in the ways other groups of animals can, that their pain is not real, but this has been scientifically proven not to be the case. It has been shown that fish produce the same opioids (the body's internal painkillers) that mammals produce as well as having the same brain activity when exposed to pain. While they may not be as ‘cute’ as some charismatic furry mammals found on land, they are no less deserving of living a pain free life. Mass die offs in salmon farms have increased over the years with hundreds of millions dying in the past decade. Rising sea temperatures are creating deadly conditions for farmed salmon through algae and jellyfish blooms (the latest incident of which was seen in Donegal in early November this year) as well as stressful handling techniques adding to the suffering of these animals. There is an ‘out of sight and out of mind’ mindset when it comes to the destruction of marine ecosystems and this is something that desperately needs to change.
ESCAPES & WILD SALMON POPULATIONS
Wild salmon numbers in Irish rivers have decreased drastically by over 80% in the past 20 years. In 2000, 685,410 salmon returned to their rivers of origin, but in 2019, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea stated that just over 150,000 fish returned. Due to this decline, salmon can only be caught and killed in
45 out of 149 designated salmon rivers in Ireland. Drift netting is permitted from June to July in some rivers and estuaries, although the numbers caught are low.
Wild salmon return to the same river to spawn year after year. They have a very specific, unique genetic code which allows them to do this. If escaped farmed salmon were to breed with wild populations this could compromise their genetics, which could have significant long term effects and lower their resilience. Aside from the genetic risks, farmed salmon also pose a threat to the vulnerable wild population through the spread of disease and sea lice. During the summer a large number of farmed salmon escaped from Killary Harbour in Connemara and entered several important rivers for wild salmon as well as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in Lough Corrib. The escaped salmon were spotted in waters where the largest wild salmon fishery on the west of Ireland occurs. Wild salmon were returning to spawn in the areas and Inland Fisheries
Ireland (IFI) stated that this escape ‘posed a significant risk to wild Atlantic salmon populations’. It’s not possible to know how many farmed salmon escaped although estimates range from anywhere between 10,000 to 30,000 fish.
OVERFISHING
Some may argue that aquaculture is a solution to overfishing of wild populations and will help feed growing human populations, however millions of tonnes of wild fish are caught to feed the farmed salmon populations. Some of the species used as salmon feed include krill and sprat, both of which are the basis of vital marine food webs. Some farmed salmon feed is caught off the waters of South America and taken back to Ireland. This not only has a large carbon footprint, but it has a negative effect on the socio economic factors of developing countries. Vital food sources are taken from the country's waters along with vital jobs and the chance of a decent livelihood.
An aerial view of a salmon fish farm in Bantry Bay in County Cork. Photo: iStockphoto
CLASHES IN GOVERNMENT OVER SALMON FARMING
Eamon Ryan, Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications wrote to Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, earlier this year to highlight that how the State currently handles salmon farming is resulting in ‘ongoing detrimental and unsustainable impacts on wild fish stocks, particularly salmonids.’ He also noted that sea-lice numbers within salmon fish farms were too high. Minister McConalogue disagreed with Minister Ryans assessment and replied stating that there is an independent national sea lice monitoring programme in place which is recognised by the EU as best practice and that he is fully satisfied that the current regulatory system for aquaculture is compliant with State obligations. Inland Fisheries Ireland legally challenged the Department of Marine’s decision to licence an aquaculture development in Bantry Bay in 2021. This case was supported by many
detrimental effect to the fish and their habitat. Aquaculture licences for fish farms have no place within or around protected areas and go against the obligation within the Habitats Directive. Salmon are also listed in the newly adopted EU Nature Restoration Law which will give them another layer of environmental protection. Member States must ensure the restoration of any habitat which is necessary to this species at all life stages.
Salmon farms even go against the Government's own National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development (NSPSA) 2030, as some of the objectives in the plan relate to sustainable environmental practice and animal welfare. The Water Framework Directive requires a framework for the protection of all water bodies and the pollution from industrial salmon farms would breach the obligations within this.
"DURING THE SUMMER A LARGE NUMBER OF FARMED SALMON ESCAPED FROM KILLARY HARBOUR IN CONNEMARA AND ENTERED SEVERAL IMPORTANT RIVERS FOR WILD SALMON, AS WELL AS A SPECIAL AREA OF CONSERVATION (SAC) IN LOUGH CORRIB"
environmentalists and NGOs and was won earlier this year. Data that have come from the Marine Institute states that sea lice impacts on wild salmon are ‘minor and irregular’ but these data are vastly different from other scientific research available on the issue.
LEGAL OBLIGATIONS
Salmon are listed as an Annex IV species under the Habitats Directive which means they are a species in need of strict protection. They are also listed as an Annex II species which requires areas to be designated for protection to help with their conservation. These areas need to have site specific measures in place to ensure the favourable conservation status of the species and this includes looking at developments which may have a
To ensure coherence with the national Sustainable Aquaculture Development plan and EU laws, aquaculture developments that damage the ecosystem should be eliminated. Of course, whether this will happen remains to be seen. Ireland has been taken to court by the EU for failing to reach their conservation obligations so without consistent public pressure from community groups and NGOs, the Government may continue with a ‘business as usual’ mindset and accept any infringement procedures as collateral damage.
SOME GOOD NEWS
This year a High Court judge ruled in favour of a judicial review against a licence for a large new salmon farm by Mowi in Bantry Bay, Cork. There are already salmon farms operated by Mowi in the bay but this licence would have allowed a significant increase in their developments. NGOs praised the Judges ruling showing that Mowi had not sufficiently explained the possible impacts of escapes and the spreading of disease on wildlife and that the environmental impact assessment was unsatisfactory. Local groups consisting of NGOs and fishermen alike supported this decision and it shows that widespread public opposition can make a difference in environmental issues.
By Marion Jammet
THE WOLF IN EUROPE
(Re)learning to coexist with large predators
INTRODUCTION
Large predators, particularly wolves in a European context, have captivated human imagination for centuries. They occupy a central place in our mythology—think of “Romulus and Remus” —as well as in legends like the “Beast of Gévaudan”. Their presence permeates children’s stories, from "Little Red Riding Hood" to "The Three Little Pigs" and "Monsieur Seguin's Goat." Yet, despite their cultural significance, wolves have faced relentless persecution. In Ireland, the last recorded wolf was killed in 1786, and by the 1970s, wolves were nearly extinct across the continent. As Mary Colwell aptly puts it, “they are too in-your-face, too disruptive, too
damaging—simply, too much like us, to be tolerated.” (1). My fascination with wolves began with reading "White Fang" and visiting the "Wolves of Gévaudan" park in the 1990s, where the only wolves were kept in captivity. With the backdrop of the unsuccessful 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Colombia, and in light of the alarming data on biodiversity loss, I’ve delved into the EU’s proposal to downgrade wolves’ protection status under the Bern Convention. This article explores how this change could affect not only wolves, but also other remaining large predators in Europe.
SAVING EUROPEAN LARGE PREDATORS FROM THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION
Once teeming with large predators, Europe is now home to only six species of large carnivores: the Wolf (Canis lupus), Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), the critically endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina), Wolverine (Gulo gulo), and Golden Jackal (Canis aureus). An apex predator — also known as a top predator — occupies the highest level of the food chain, with no natural predators of its own. EU
"RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE VITAL ROLE WOLVES PLAY IN ECOSYSTEMS IS ESSENTIAL TO FOSTER COEXISTENCE AND PROMOTE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION"
In Europe, the wolf is a native species that plays a crucial ecological role. It helps regulate populations of wild ungulates, such as deer, and provides carrion for scavengers. However, wolves were largely exterminated across much of Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries, with populations reaching their lowest levels in the 1960s and 1970s. At that time, only fragmented populations survived in Eastern Europe, Italy, and Spain. A combination of shifting human settlement patterns — such as land abandonment — and changing attitudes towards wolves, alongside robust conservation efforts including funding and legislation to protect these animals and their habitats, has fostered the beginning of a recovery for wolf populations across the European Union (EU).
It is estimated that over 20,000 wolves now inhabit Europe, with breeding packs established in 23 member states (2). This resurgence and their return to areas from which they were once eradicated are clear indicators of successful conservation efforts. However, this comeback has also ignited tensions with hunters and farmers, particularly in regions where traditional coexistence practices have faded.
Protection status of wolves (Canis Lupus) in the EU
Up until December 2024, wolves benefited from strict protection under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Adopted in 1979, this international treaty, overseen by the Council of Europe, aims to ensure the conservation and protection of wild plant and animal species, as well as their natural habitats.
The Bern Convention designates the wolf as an Appendix II species, which means it is afforded strict legal protections. Consequently, signatory parties are required to prohibit the deliberate disturbance, capture, and killing of wolves, alongside adhering to various habitat-related restrictions. While persecution is generally not permitted, the
agreement allows for lethal measures in exceptional circumstances, specifically to "prevent serious damage" to farmed animals. However, these measures are only permissible when no satisfactory alternatives exist and when they do not threaten the survival of the wolf population. Derogations should always be considered a last resort. This protection has now been downgraded. In the European Union, member states implement the protections mandated by the Bern Convention through the Habitats and Birds Directives. With the recent downgrading of the Bern Convention’s protection for wolves the EU Commission will now attempt to downgrade the protection offered to the wolf through the EU directives.
Grey wolf with litter. Photo: iStockphoto
Grey wolf (Canis Lupus).
Photo: iStockphoto
WOLVES AND TOP PREDATORS’ PROTECTION STATUS UNDER FIRE IN EUROPE?
In December 2023, the European Commission proposed downgrading the protection status of wolves in the EU from “strictly protected” (Appendix II) to “protected” (Appendix III). This change would facilitate the culling of wolves that threaten livestock. In September, a majority of Member States at the European Council agreed to adopt this proposal (3).
For context, the European badger (Meles meles) - which is still culled in Ireland and other member states - is currently listed under Appendix III. The proposed shift would provide greater flexibility in managing the socio-economic challenges linked to the wolf’s range in Europe. For instance, it would make it easier to cull wolves considered problematic for farmers, and would remove protections for denning sites.
The proposal went before the annual meeting of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention on 3rd December. Any amendments to the Convention required approval from two-thirds of the 50 contracting parties, with changes to the appendices taking effect three months after adoption. More than half of the signatories to the Bern Convention are EU member states. Tragically for European wolf populations, the EU Commission’s proposal to downgrade the protected status of the wolf passed.
With these changes in place, the EU can adjust the corresponding annexes of the Habitats Directive to align with the new protection level for wolves within its legal framework. This modification would require a simple majority vote in the European Parliament and a qualified majority in the European Council. A qualified majority is achieved when 55% of member states vote in favor and those states represent at least 65% of the total EU population.
This represents a significant shift from the strong conservation commitments previously upheld, but it isn’t entirely surprising given the recent controversies surrounding wolves and other large predators in Europe. In 2023, Bavarian Governor Markus Söder addressed farmers, stating, “the wolf does not belong here,” and his party, the CSU, called for the eradication of all wolves in Germany.
"RATHER THAN LEVERAGING WOLVES AND OTHER LARGE PREDATORS FOR SHORTTERM POLITICAL GAINS, ISN’T IT TIME TO REFLECT ON OUR CAPACITY TO SHARE THE PLANET WITH OTHER SPECIES?"
In France, newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s first comments on biodiversity emphasized his support for increasing the number of wolves killed annually. The debate around wolves has intensified in the Netherlands too. When a wolf attacked a dog this summer, the BoerBurgerBeweging party immediately labelled it a "problem wolf," despite the animal simply protecting its pups. Additionally, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden have all recently raised hunting quotas for brown bears.
The recent shift has faced significant criticism from scientists and environmental organizations, as it contradicts the EU’s latest report on the “situation of the wolf” (2) and recent rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union (4). Experts emphasize that the recovery of wolf populations is still in progress, and the main objectives of both the Bern Convention and the Habitats Directive—aimed at ensuring the restoration and conservation of endangered species—have yet to be achieved. Wolves are still classified as “vulnerable” in many parts of the EU, and their conservation status varies by country. Scientists warn that culling wolves in regions with small populations could have catastrophic
Wolf population in EU member states. Map Marion Jammet, Source European Commission. Created with Datawrapper.
consequences. Additionally, the Commission’s own in-depth analysis indicates that there is no scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of culling in reducing livestock depredation. Some researchers suggest that such measures could exacerbate the problem by disrupting wolves’ social structures and fragmenting packs, as lost and solitary wolves may turn to domestic livestock as an easy food source (5).
While the Habitats Directive permits derogations when necessary and funding mechanisms are in place to support livestock farmers in areas where large predators are present, there is a strong call for increased emphasis on conservation and education. Advocates argue that enhancing access to preventive measures— such as fencing, guard dogs, and increased human presence—should be prioritized for livestock owners. Additionally, raising public awareness about the vital role wolves play in ecosystems is essential to foster coexistence and promote a deeper understanding of wildlife conservation.
CONCLUSION
The current proposal marks a significant setback for what is widely regarded as one of the EU’s most remarkable wildlife conservation successes: the recovery of the wolf from near extinction, and will hinder the ongoing recovery of wolf populations. It also threatens to undermine decades of conservation efforts and investments, impacting not only wolves but also other large predators across Europe and beyond.
The legal implications of this proposal could be profound. The Bern Convention spans the entire continent, and not just EU Member States. Furthermore, despite the European Commission’s non-legally binding declaration that the focus is solely on "the wolf, and only the wolf," there are serious concerns that amending the Habitats Directive could set a dangerous precedent for other vulnerable species,
such as bears, lynxes, and beavers.
Globally, this move raises alarming questions about the EU and its 27 member states' willingness to disregard conservation science, casting doubt on their commitment to international biodiversity goals. How can we advocate for conservation and coexistence with large predators such as lions and tigers, if we struggle to live alongside wolves? Rather than leveraging wolves and other large predators for short-term political gains, isn’t it time to reflect on our capacity to share the planet with other species?
Act Now
In August 2024, the Farmers Association (Coordination Rurale) issued a controversial poster offering a €1,000 reward for anyone who kills a wolf, despite the species being strictly protected under conservation laws.
Source: X - Coordination rurale de Haute-Vienne
Concerned citizens are encouraged to join over 300,000 others in signing the “Stop Wolf Hunting in Europe” petition, available at https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/stop_wolf_hunting_loc/.
1. Colwell, M., “Beak, Tooth and Claw: Living with Predators in Britain” (2021)
2. European Commission (2023), “The situation of the wolf (canis lupus) in the European Union”. Available at: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5d017e4e-9efc-11ee-b164-01aa75ed71a1/language-en.
3. Only Ireland and Spain voted against the proposal.
4. Recent rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union, dated July 24, have confirmed that any relaxation of hunting rules for wolves must not compromise their long-term conservation and should only be considered as a last resort. This was underscored in the judgments of Case C-436/22 | ASCEL and Case C-601/22 | WWF Österreich and Others.
5. Tomma, G., Science, 24 Jan. 2024. "Plan to allow wolf hunting in Europe to spare livestock could backfire, some scientists say". Available at: https://www.science.org/content/article/plan-allow-wolf-hunting-europe-protect-livestock-could-backfire-some-scientists-say.
run free Let our
A REVIEW OF THE ARTERIAL DRAINAGE ACT
is is the last article of the year in our series exploring the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. e Citizens’ Assembly agreed numerous recommendations essential for the protection and restoration of nature in Ireland. It is imperative that the state implements these recommendations as soon as possible. In this issue, Pádraic Fogarty examines the Citizens’ Assembly’s recommendations that “the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act is no longer t for purpose and must be reviewed and updated in order to take proper account of the biodiversity and the climate crisis”.
By PÁDRAIC FOGARTY
How many of us know what a river looks like? is may sound like a ridiculous question but on a trip to Albania last year I found myself looking at a river and thinking: we have nothing like this at home! In school we learned that rivers rise in the mountains, where they ow quickly and their waters are clear and full of oxygen. When reaching the lowlands they slow down, meandering and sometimes spilling out onto lateral plains. We learned about ox-bow lakes, where the meander in the river widens so much that the river cuts it o entirely. Flooding, meandering and an ever-shi ing pattern of wetlands that lie away from the main channel of owing water are natural features of rivers, but they have been virtually erased from the Irish landscape. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an ox bow lake in Ireland! is is, in large part, due to the Arterial Drainage Act (ADA), a piece of legislation from 1945 that
used public money for the straightening and deepening of rivers in order to create more productive farmland. e river I was looking at in the eth National Park, in the north of Albania, was in the mountains. But here the path of the river was broad, with gravel islands and what is referred to as a braided channel: lots of little channels and standing water that interweave with one another. And trees, lots of trees. Leaning out over the edge of the river, piled up logs that have been swept downstream, masses of woody debris and emerging scrub of willows and other plants on the islands.
In lowlands too, river margins are naturally wooded and this is an integral component of river dynamics. Fallen trees divert the energy out of
The River Boyne system showing straightening, deepening and total removal of riparian vegetation.
Photo: Pádriac Fogarty
"IN 2022, THE CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY ON BIODIVERSITY LOSS SAID THAT “THE 1945 ARTERIAL DRAINAGE ACT IS NO LONGER FIT FOR PURPOSE AND MUST BE REVIEWED AND UPDATED IN ORDER TO TAKE PROPER ACCOUNT OF THE BIODIVERSITY AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS”
owing water, creating pools which are sanctuaries for sh. e increased energy elsewhere helps to scour gravel beds which are needed for many sh to spawn in. e volume of woody material in natural rivers provides food for abundant invertebrates and so forms the foundation for levels higher up in the food chain. In Ireland, the extent of deforestation stretches right to the water’s edge; most rivers now have no, or very few trees, while trees in rivers are seen as a threat to life and property and so are quickly ‘cleaned’ away.
e result is that rivers in Ireland, whether in the uplands or lowlands, have been so physically altered that they are very, very far from their natural state (never mind the added burden of pollution). e
physical condition of a river is referred to as its ‘hydromorphology’ and has been identi ed by the Environmental Protection Agency as one of the leading reasons why water bodies are failing to reach ‘good status’ as required under the EU’s Water Framework Directive. In essence, we don’t know what a natural river looks like because examples scarcely exist in Ireland.
A river’s hydromorphology is severely a ected by the imposition of dams and weirs which block the movement of water along its direction of ow. Where rivers have been subjected to deepening and widening, frequently using the excavated material to raise the height of the riverbank, the water is blocked from moving laterally, rather like a
Vjosa river, Albania with complex diverse drainage channels. Photo: iStockphoto
A rare example of a tree (a willow) growing naturally on a river bank showing how it creates a network of sheltered pools.
straightjacket. This is known as arterial drainage. It not only greatly diminishes the habitat diversity of the river, with knock on consequences for biodiversity, it also prevents the energy and water volume of the rivers from diffusing and so, at times of flood, the energy surges downstream, increasing the risk of flooding in those areas.
The ADA was passed at a time of food shortages across Europe, poverty at home and little to no appreciation of ecology or the damage that it was causing. Nearly 80 years on, priorities and our understanding of river dynamics have greatly increased. So too has the threat to communities from extreme weather events, whether heavy and violent rainfall, or drought. But the ADA remains largely unchanged, and the Office of Public Works is legally obliged to ‘maintain’ 11,500km of rivers that have been subjected to arterial drainage. This means periodically going back with diggers to clear out any accumulation of silt or remove trees and vegetation. While these works are subject to environmental assessment, the baseline against which impacts are measured is the already severely degraded river, and so the process usually sails through with no significant impacts predicted.
Criticism of the ADA is not new. The damage to fisheries became apparent quite quickly and there were calls to minimise the environmental impacts. When the River Boyne in Co Meath was dredged in the 1980s one prominent ecologist pleaded with authorities to at least leave the vegetation intact on
one side of the river. But to no avail. The approach today remains brutal and uncompromising.
In 2021, the Irish Wildlife Trust launched a campaign to reform the ADA. This included gathering over 5,000 signatures to a petition addressed to the then-minister in charge of the OPW, Patrick O’Donovan. The good news is that this work, and the work of other NGOs, including the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN), paid off.
In 2022, the Citizens’ Assembly on biodiversity loss said that “the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act is no longer fit for purpose and must be reviewed and updated in order to take proper account of the biodiversity and the climate crisis”. In December 2023, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action, reflecting on the recommendation of the Citizens’ Assembly, demanded that “the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 be urgently reviewed and amended to align with national and EU laws and objectives to protect, promote and enhance biodiversity.” Earlier this year, the government published the Water Action Plan 2024, which is the third River Basin Management Plan that sets out to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. It’s far from a perfect plan but it does highlight the issues with the ADA and says that “A review of arterial drainage requirements and the underpinning Arterial Drainage Act will be undertaken in order to inform future land use policy decisions arising out of the Land Use Review and to support the preparations for the implementation of
River Liffey.
Photo: Pádriac Fogarty
"FARMERS THAT GIVE LAND TO NATURE ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE REST OF US AND SO NEED TO BE REWARDED AND INCENTIVISED"
the new Nature Restoration Law and the Heavily Modified Water Body review process.”
So after years of campaigning, it is now official government policy to reform the ADA. This is an achievement. However, given the slow pace at which the government moves on these issues, not to mention that a new government in 2025 will inevitably lead to a shake up of priorities, we are still very far from seeing change on the ground. We have to hope that whatever the makeup of the new government, there will be individuals or parties willing to fight to include reform of the ADA in the next programme for government. If it’s not there, it won’t happen.
The reason why reform of the ADA is difficult is that it will require the return of farmland that benefited from drainage to the river. Rivers need space and that brings restoration into direct conflict with other land use priorities. Overcoming this should not be difficult, at least in theory. Farm payments need to be decoupled from food production. Some progress has been made on this during this government, in so far that farmers are no longer penalised for having land which is not in agricultural production. So, a farmer with a flooded field doesn’t lose a chunk of their direct payment, which was the case previously. However, a field underwater is a field that is not capable of feeding animals or producing crops, so the balance of costs is still against the farmers. This has to change.
Farmers that give land to nature are providing a service to the rest of us and so need to be rewarded and incentivised. The mechanisms for this are not yet in place and we may need to wait for another
reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, or the appearance of a new pot of EU money solely dedicated to nature restoration (something that has been promised). The process as it stands is moving in the right direction but at such a slow pace that we are being overwhelmed with the rate of change in nature itself.
The work to restore rivers itself is not complicated. Dams and barriers need to be removed although those protecting towns and cities probably will have to stay. Skilled digger drivers can reprofile riverbanks to something more like their natural state, rather like what is being done for bog restoration programmes. Broad river corridors should be established where rewilding principals can be applied: let trees naturally regenerate, let hollows of standing water form, if trees fall over, so what?
Introducing beavers would do the job even better than machines and likely at much lower cost. Ironically, resistance to this will mostly come from conservationists.
There has been progress in recent years. There is broad acknowledgment of what needs to be done but work is required on the social acceptance of these measures and developing the support structures, including financial. When we finally do get going, we’ll regret we didn’t start sooner.
Pádraic Fogarty is author of ‘Whittled Away – Ireland’s Vanishing Nature’ (Collins, 2017) and is former Campaign Officer for the IWT.
Map showing the extent of river drainage in Ireland. Drainage Districts Channels (red) and Arterial Drainage Scheme Channels (purple) both sets of channels are maintained under the Arterial Drainage Act. Source www. floodinfo.ie
The River Nore showing the near absence of trees and natural vegetation along its banks. Photo: Pádriac Fogarty
The Urban FOX SURVEY
JODIE O'REGAN IS A RESEARCH MASTERS STUDENT IN THE ZOOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY. AS THE PROJECT OFFICER OF THE URBAN FOX SURVEY, SHE AIMS TO PROMOTE ENTHUSIASM FOR WILDLIFE ACROSS IRELAND
Have you ever encountered an urban fox? Perhaps it darted across the road in front of you, or it was sni ng around in your garden. ere is no denying the once elusive red fox has found a home in our urban areas as these sightings become more and more frequent. In recent years, urban habitats have become increasingly important to Ireland’s wildlife as they move into expanding cities in search of food and shelter. Urban ecology is fundamental for forming a sustainable relationship between urbanisation and the natural environment as well as promoting biodiversity and public health. Foxes in particular have proven to be very adaptable to urban life as they carve out territories in these human-dominated environments.
As one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora across the northern hemisphere, the red fox is known for its iconic rusty coat, bushy tail, and cunning demeanor. Despite their di ering habitats, the ecology of urban foxes mirror their rural counterparts with a few key adaptations. As opportunistic omnivores, foxes exploit urban resources by broadening their diet to include discarded human food, small mammals, birds, invertebrates, and even fruit growing in residential gardens. e abundance of di erent food sources allows the fox to thrive within our towns and cities.
e availability of food is not the only factor that draws foxes into towns and cities. Urban environments harbour a wide range of greenspaces that o er both shelter and habitat connectivity that appeals to foxes. Residential gardens, cemeteries, parks and greenways are just a few examples of the natural spaces that support sheltering foxes. Greenspaces serve as dependable foraging grounds, and gardens o er a safe place with natural coverage for foxes to rest during the day. ey may also seek refuge
"WITH THIS SURVEY WE AIM TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS NATIVE SPECIES"
in overgrown areas, near railway lines, sports elds, and waste ground.
Red foxes become more active during the breeding season, which starts between late December and late February, and are o en heard barking at night during this period. Vixens give birth between March and April to an average of 4-5 cubs in their annual litter. Residential gardens are common greenspaces foxes choose to establish their dens in due to the safety and protection they o er for raising cubs. If you are lucky enough to have your garden chosen for nursing cubs, you get the exciting experience of watching them play and explore as they grow and become more brave. Urban greenspaces do not just bene t foxes, they are vital corridors that support all wildlife.
THE URBAN FOX SURVEY
While urban foxes follow similar ecological and behavioral patterns to their rural equivalents, foxes are quick learners and exhibit the ability to modify their behaviour to exploit urban environments. ese modi ed behaviours have been observed, but are not yet fully understood. We are hoping to bridge this gap in knowledge through a citizen science survey that will allow the public to contribute to our understanding of urban fox distribution and behaviour.
e Urban Fox Survey is an ongoing research project being conducted by the University of
Galway in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Members of the public are asked to record their fox sightings across the 7 largest urban areas on the island of Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast, Limerick, Waterford, and Derry. We would love to hear about any sightings or encounters with a fox, whether it is a regular garden visitor, or a chance meeting late at night!
"FOXES IN PARTICULAR HAVE PROVEN TO BE VERY ADAPTABLE TO URBAN LIFE AS THEY CARVE OUT TERRITORIES IN THESE HUMANDOMINATED ENVIRONMENTS"
is project will provide valuable data for conservation planning in Ireland and nding solutions for potential human/wildlife con icts. While foxes are elusive and shy animals that typically avoid humans, they may cause concern for some people by scavenging bins or digging in gardens. With this survey we aim to gain a better understanding of the general public’s relationship with this native species. e survey is hosted on the online record entry system developed by the National Biodiversity Data Centre as part of Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are depending on you, readers, to keep an eye out for urban foxes and record your sightings on the survey webpage: https://biodiversityireland. ie/surveys/urban-fox-survey/. Please share the urban fox survey with friends, neighbours and community groups, so we can get as many records as possible from across our major cities. e survey will be live until late spring and every record is a signi cant contribution to our study, so all support is welcome and appreciated. You can keep up to date by following the project’s platforms on Instagram, Facebook, and X under @ Urbanfoxsurvey or contact us at urbanfoxsurvey@ gmail.com if you have any queries!
e images for this article are photos of urban foxes submitted to the Urban Fox Survey by members of the public.
Urban Fox by Anne O Byrne
Urban fox by Tina Feely
Urban fox by Adrian Megahey
Urban fox by Jon Pauling
IBy GORDON D'ARCY
s it reasonable to compare biomes, ecosystems, even habitats on an international basis? Is there any validity in comparing an Irish ‘rain forest’ with that of equatorial Africa or Asia? In the case of limestone regions, anywhere in the world, extraordinary linkages exist due to the unique characteristics of the rock and the impact of water on it.
The KARST of
AN EXPLORATION OF THE BURREN’S SLOVENIAN COUNTERPART
Otherworldliness
e 450 square kilometre Karst region of Slovenia (Kras in Slovenian) is one such place in that it is the classical location for such landscapes throughout the world –including the Burren of County Clare. Remarkable for its labyrinthine cave systems, collapse hollows, dry valleys, underground rivers, sinkholes, disappearing lakes (turloughs in Ireland), the Slovenian Karst has given rise to a suite of terms such as doline, polje, karren, kamenitza, describing the water-worn
features, used also in the Burren. ere are striking di erences, however. e Slovenian limestone is Mesozoic in origin having been formed by sedimentation in a shallow tropical sea, roughly 100 million years ago. e limerstone of the Burren is much older, originating from the Carboniferous period of the Palaeozoic, around 350 million years ago. e fossil content of each place is noticeably di erent. For instance, the distinctive spiral-shelled fossil goniaties of the earlier Burren limestones, are forerunners of the ammonites of the Mesozoic limestones. ough the Slovenian Karst was perhaps super cially in uenced by glacial activity from the Dolomites, the Burren was
radically transformed by the bull-dozing action of glaciers during the last Ice Age. It is thus described as a glacio-karstic region. In both regions rendzina soils derived from the erosion of the limestones are widespread but in Slovenia, iron and manganese have given rise to other mineral soils, rare in the Burren.
Both regions are wonderfully endowed with natural, unspoiled habitats. e limestone grasslands, exposed rock, cave systems and ephemeral wetlands are protected under the European Union Habitats Directive as Natura 2000 sites. However, the limestone ‘pavement’, such a characteristic of the Burren, is more or less absent in Slovenia’s Karst. Old photographs
Cerknica wetland. Photo: Esther-Mary D'Arcy
show that this was not always the case. A century ago, the Karst was almost as threadbare as the Burren is today, due to long-term overgrazing by animals. From mid-century Austrian black pines were planted throughout the uplands and native hardwoods (beech, lime oak, ash, hazel and others) were encouraged to grow back. The result has been natural reforestation creating a landscape similar to that which existed in prehistoric times. This is also occurring in the Burren with widespread encroachment, particularly of hazel scrub, replacing the over-grazed landscape.
The biodiversity of the diminishing areas of limestone grassland is very high: some 150 species of plants have been recorded in a 50 square metre area in the Karst; though less diverse, the unfertilised grassland of the Burren supports a high percentage of the 700 species found in the entire region. Both regions support subMediterranean and Alpine species. However, the Burren has some Arctic species besides, adding to the extraordinary geographical complexity of the flora of the
"THE WILD KARST REGION OF SLOVENIA HAS MANY SPECTACULAR BIRDS, THOUGH, AS IN THE BURREN, THEY OFTEN HAVE TO BE LOOKED FOR"
many spectacular birds though, as in the Burren, they often have to be looked for. Wrens, tits, finches, ravens, hooded crows, (and in summer) warblers and cuckoos are typical of both places. Speciality species – Alpine swifts and wall creepers – inhabit the limestone cliffs in the Karst along with birds of prey such as peregrines and eagle owls.
The labyrinthine cave systems of both regions play host to a number of hibernating bat species: about six in the Burren; twelve in the Karst. The lesser-horseshoe bat of the Burren has its greater horseshoe bat counterpart in the latter region. One of the others goes by the rather sinister name of the long-fingered bat! Apart from a host of other small mammals (many, such a dormouse, not found in Ireland) there are large herbivores such as roe and red deer and a trio of large carnivores - the lynx, the wolf and the bear - which prey on them. Surprisingly, there is no historical evidence of bears using the Karst caves for hibernation, as there is in several of the Burren’s caves.
Irish site. Unmodified grasslands are famous for their exquisite summer displays of orchids. More than twenty species decorate the open country of both places throughout the summer. Some of the Burren’s most colourful flowers such as the bloody cranesbill, the hoary rockrose and the harebell, have Slovenian examples in wild peony, orange lily and Justin’s bellflower.
Diverse flora usually implies diverse invertebrate fauna. The most obvious expression of this link is in the butterflies. Though Slovenia has many more species than the thirty found in the Burren some such as the green hairstreak and the silverwashed and marsh fritillaries are common to both karst regions. During Slovenia’s summer many of the invertebrates are food for a variety of lizards and snakes not found in Ireland. Also, a strange endemic salamander, (an exotic relative of our newt) feeding on aquatic invertebrates, makes its home in the flowing underground waters of the Karst region.
The wild Karst region of Slovenia has
Striking traces of ancient human activity can be located on the ground in both places. Though differing in design, long lines of dry stone walls exist: those in the Burren starkly obvious on the barren hillsides; those in Slovenia, largely hidden in the scrub. The spectacular cliff fort at Cahercommaun in the Burren is echoed by an even more spectacular example overlooking Skocjan doline. Carron turlough in the heart of the Burren, traditionally used for summer grazing when dry, has a much larger counterpart at Cerknica. Both are at their optimum for migrating birds when partially flooded.
The Skocjan education programme makes much of the Karst country as an outdoor classroom, just as Burren Beo and the national park do in Ireland. However, there is presently no linkage between the two regions - though less than four hours by air and bus apart. An exchange programme, facilitating first-hand exposure to the wonders of each place for students from Ireland and Slovenia does not yet exist, but it is surely one worthy of consideration.
Skocjan doline with waterfall and Reka Photo: Esther-Mary D'Arcy
"WETLANDS, INCLUDING RIVERS LIKE THE FINN, HAVE A REMARKABLE CAPACITY TO REPAIR THEMSELVES, IF GIVEN THE CHANCE, AND THE HELP"
Scotstown River, Co Monaghan. Photo: Billy Flynn
Hope Streams
Just in case you didn’t know it, I’ll start by reminding you that my native Monaghan is a wetland county. It has any number of lakes, rivers, streams, fens, marshes and swamps. It has its fair share of bogs too, mostly blanket bog although there is some remnant raised bog and masses of wet grasslands. It’s the lakes and rivers that I love most though. In fact, it fishing the (god knows how many1) lakes and the River Finn in my youth was what got me into this whole wildlife /environmental way of life in the first place. The same River Finn is a shadow of what it once was though. My incredibly industrious and practical2 mother-in-law, who literally grew up beside the Finn, has told me how she and her siblings would often be sent out in the morning to set lines to catch trout for dinner when other meat was in short supply. They’d not have much luck at that endeavour now. The last time this author saw a trout in the Finn was in the 1980s. The riverbed is almost impossible to see now, there being so much silt lying atop the cobbles and gravels, and masses of algae obscures even more. While riverbanks bare of trees that were fierce convenient for us to cast spinners (and laterally flies) from seemed great back then, I can now see how useless they had been made as defences against the ingress of nutrients and other pollution that was slowly chipping away the biodiversity value and potential of our beloved Finn.
I’ll take a moment here to say that this won’t be (yet another) article of misery to bring down the joy of this issue of Irish Wildlife. I’ve done enough of that before, to paraphrase a certain Ulster singer-songwriter. Not that there’s no cause for concern. Recently my eye fell upon the alarming headline of an article3 by the super journalist and environmentalist Ella McSweeny (she herself was a volunteer with the IWT back in the day, by the way) which read – ‘Everything has been killed.’ We’ve given up on half our rivers and lakes. Ouch. This article was in essence centred on two things. One was an avoidable fish-kill in Co. Cork. The other was the recent release of the Irish government’s Water Plan 20244 . What Ella described of the former was heartbreaking – the ecological devastation of the River Allow. What she described of the latter – a plan to restore our lakes, rivers and estuaries to ecologically ‘good’ status that also tells how we’ve so far failed to do so in about half of them – is intensely frustrating.
This is not the 1980s anymore. We now know how important and sensitive our aquatic habitats are and the pathways for pollution and how to break these. Information for farmers and landowners is at an all-time high, as is the amount of supports
1. Certainly someone knows how many lakes we have in Monaghan. This author doesn’t. Our neighbouring county often claims to have 365 lakes. This seems suspiciously propitious to me. Bit like Clew Bay etc.
2. You’ve no idea how true this is. I once watched her repair one of our kids’ school bags with the string from the top of a potato bag.
By BILLY FLYNN
ETERNAL
for them to do ‘the right thing.’ My wandering eye also rested upon some more local recent newspaper articles. The Northern Standard5 on 3rd October had no fewer than three articles on water quality in Monaghan rivers and lakes. One was on Lough Muckno – Co. Monaghan’s largest lake. The other was on restoration of the ecological status of watercourses and their catchments right across the county. They were well-informed and pragmatic pieces. What was really striking though was the list of community groups that are actively involved in the conservation and restoration efforts. These are primarily volunteer-led but have among their ranks some really good environmental scientists and activists. Literally, none of these groups or anything approximating them existed when I fished the Finn in the 1980s. People are taking notice, as well as action. One such grassroots movement is the Group Water Schemes. I had literally no awareness of these cooperative organisations when I was a regular angler. A recent study of the Scotstown River catchment has been completed which was commissioned by the Tydavnet Group Water Scheme and funded in toto by the Local Authority Water Protection Office (LAWPRO). This wasn’t a study of a basket-case river but rather an in-depth look at Monaghan’s highest quality (or Blue Dot) river system. What really stood out about this project wasn’t anything to do with ecology or even water quality. It was the level of voluntary engagement of the farmers and landowners who live in or around the Scotstown River. This included a number of events, one of which was a farm walk (on a really wet day) that had to have stewards to assist with the parking when it began and attendees who had to be asked to stop yakking and go on home when it was over.
People are interested. They are engaged. Best of all, thanks to schemes like ACRES6, farmers and landowners are informed. As a country, we’ve not managed our wetlands well, but we’ve been able to turn some of these around. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over 30-odd years in this line of work is that wetlands, including rivers like the Finn, have a remarkable capacity to repair themselves, if given the chance, and the help. Let’s make this happen. As that same Ulsterman said, the world is what you make it.
3. Irish Times Weekend 5 October 2024
4. The Water Action Plan 2024 – A River Basin Management Plan for Ireland. Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage. See https://lawaters.ie/ publications/#filter=*
5. The Northern Standard, 3 October 2024.
6. The Agri-Climate Rural Environmental Scheme (ACRES). See https://www.gov.ie/ en/service/f5a48-agri-climate-ruralenvironment-scheme-acres/
THE BENEFITS OF MARCESCENCE
When Winter Leaves
Don't Leave
“MOST MARCESCENT LEAVES PERSIST ON BRANCHES WELL INTO SPRING, WITH A PRONOUNCED, SHORT PERIOD OF LEAF SHEDDING. MARCESCENT LEAVES REMAIN AS OTHER PLANTS HAVE FULLY FLUSHED LEAVES"
By ANNE SUNDERMANN
One of the hallmarks of autumn is brightly coloured leaves falling from the branches of deciduous trees. is intentional loss of tree leaves is known as abscission: a leaf’s separation from its stem as it prepares for the shorter days and colder temperatures of winter, or responds to environmental stressors.
As the tree prepares for winter, photosynthesis slows and then ceases. A er uptake of the remaining nutrients,
the tree then forms two layers of tissue at the juncture of stem and leaf: a separation layer, where the actual break occurs between leaf and stem; and a protective layer, which acts as a scar tissue to prevent invasion by pathogens, moisture, etc. Known together as the abscission zone, these two areas permit the leaf to separate from the stem without injury to the tree. is abscission zone also cuts o the leaf from its supply of nutrients and water. As the leaf dries, it detaches and falls to the forest oor, adding its nutrients to the decomposing litter below. Abscission is enacted daily in the case
Close-up of a beech leaf still on the branch of a tree.
Photo: iStockphoto
"THE UNSHED LEAVES THUS CONSERVE NUTRIENTS WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM BY DEFERRING NUTRIENT RELEASE UNTIL SPRING, WHEN THE NUTRIENTS FROM THE LATE-FALLING LEAVES CAN BE REABSORBED BY ROOTS DURING THE GROWING SEASON"
of evergreens, and seasonally for most deciduous species. By the time winter rolls around, most tree limbs are bare. However, in the colder months, a few deciduous species retain leaves, a phenomenon known as marcescence.
THE MECHANICS OF MARCESCENCE
Researchers have been pondering the reasons behind winter leaves for centuries, dating back to a mention in the mid-1700s by Swedish botanist and naturalist Pehr Kalm, who noted trees that failed to drop their leaves.
In Ireland, the most common marcescent trees are found in the beech and oak family, Fagaceae, including Quercus petraea or sessile oak, and Q. robur, or pendunculate or English oak. Fagus sylvatica, or green beech, is a naturalized non-native marcescent tree commonly found in hedgerows and fields. Carpinus betulus, or hornbeam, of the family Corylaceae, is a tree planted along roadsides and in woodlands.
Like abscission, marcescence is about nutrient transfer. In this case, trees move water and sap from the roots to the leaves via its vascular system. Lignin, a stiff, water-phobic polymer, supports the plant vascular system, promoting vertical growth, providing rigidity, and enabling water transport across the plant. As the tree enters marcescence, the sap and moisture conduits narrow. The leaf is shed when the cells of the abscission layer finally close. Lignin helps preserve the leaf tissue structure for a longer time, allowing the leaf to remain attached.
Heberling and Musika (2023) note, “most marcescent leaves persist on branches well into spring, with a pronounced, short period of leaf shedding. Marcescent leaves remain as other plants have fully flushed leaves.” Most of the monitored leaves were shed within a twoweek period.
STANDING DEAD PHYTOMASS
Although scientists may know the mechanics of how a tree keeps its winter leaves, they have puzzled over why. Researchers offer a variety of theories
about the benefits of marcescence, including, perhaps, that there is no function, that it is merely a byproduct of evolution. However, recent studies have shown the importance of marcescent trees in replenishing nutrients to the soil on the forest floor. Leaf litter benefits trees, other species, and its wider ecosystem, releasing nutrients into the soil through breakdown and composting, either by decomposers such as bacteria, fungi, and microbes or after ingestion by birds, insects, and other wildlife.
With limbs full of unshed leaves, marcescent trees retain their phytomass (the amount, or mass, of organic matter produced from photosynthesis) for longer time than trees undergoing abscission. Importantly, marcescent trees hold that phytomass above ground level, out of reach from the organisms that would begin decomposition. According to Mudrák and colleagues, the unshed leaves thus conserve nutrients within the ecosystem by deferring nutrient release until spring, when the nutrients from the late-falling leaves can be reabsorbed by roots during the growing season.
Heberling and Musika note that winter leaf retention improves nutrient resorption in autumn, and that when the leaves are shed in spring, it minimizes leaching of nutrients and enhances decomposition of leaf litter. Looking at the impact of marcescence on leaf chemistry and potential consequences for decomposition and nutrient cycling in temperate ecosystems, Angst and colleagues found that marcescent leaves had increased
nitrogen in the nutrient cycle. Many marcescent tree species prefer less developed or severely disturbed habitats. This occurs, according to Mudrák, by a “missing relationship between marcescence and disturbance frequency, which means that the phytomass is not removed regularly by human management or natural processes at such sites. Such disturbed ecosystems often have impaired soil conditions and undeveloped decomposer communities, which makes nutrient cycling less efficient.” Unshed phytomass, then, is an important component of restoring health to these sites.
OTHER BENEFITS OF MARCESCENCE
In Ireland's temperate winters, the crinkled brown leaves of the beech remain attached to the tree limbs after the new growth begins. This adaptation may benefit the trees by preventing water loss and protecting the new buds from late frosts. The marcescent foliage on younger trees may discourage browsing by deer and other species and thus offer an evolutionary advantage to understory trees that may otherwise be consumed. As the tree gets taller, growing above the browsing height, there is less advantage, which may be why some trees lose their ability to retain winter leaves in maturity. Other species may benefit as well. There is evidence that marcescent leaves protect delicate buds and provide cover for insects, birds, and other species.
Marcescent trees improve habitats, protect young trees, and add nutrients to woodland soils, particularly in disturbed or immature sites. A process such as marcescence is important to ecosystem health, particularly in responding to environmental stressors from human development and climate change.
Resources
Angst, Š., Cajthaml, T., Angst G., et al (2017) Retention of dead standing plant biomass (marcescence) increases subsequent litter decomposition in the soil organic layer. Plant Soil 418:571–579. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3318-6
Chondol, T., Korznikov, K. A., Doležal, J. (2024). Ecological significance of marcescence in Himalayan plants: Why is standing dead phytomass more important in demanding, resource-limited environments? Functional Ecology, 38, 942–954. https://doi. org/10.1111/1365-2435.14513
Heberling, J. M., Muzika, R.-M. (2023). Not All Temperate Deciduous Trees are Leafless in Winter: The Curious Case of Marcescence. Ecosphere 14(3): e4410. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4410
Mudrák, O., Angst, Š., Angst, G., Veselá, H., Schnablová, R., Herben, T., & Frouz, J. (2023). Ecological significance of standing dead phytomass: Marcescence as a puzzle piece to the nutrient cycle in temperate ecosystems. Journal of Ecology, 111, 2245–2256.https:// doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14174
A call for
RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE (RHD) AND THE THREAT TO IRISH HARES
GREATER VIGILANCE VIGILANCE
"WITHOUT SYSTEMATIC SURVEYING IN PLACE, WE SHOULD BE EXTRA VIGILANT AND REPORT ANY CONCERNS REGARDING THE HEALTH OF WILDLIFE TO EITHER THE NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OR REGIONAL VETERINARY OFFICES"
Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) native to Ireland. Photo: Mike Brown
By TIM CLABON
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease was rst noted in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in 2018, although reports suggest it may have been present in Ireland since 2016. It was rst detected in populations of the wild Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) in July 2019.
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an acute and lethal hepatitis disease a ecting rabbits and hares with a 70-90% mortality rate. Rabbits and hares of all ages are a ected. A variant of this disease (RHDV-2) was detected in France in 2010. Since its discovery this disease has spread across Europe. Infection occurs through direct and indirect contact with infected rabbits, their faeces, urine, bedding, food etc. In domestic rabbits the disease can be controlled via vaccination. e disease incubates for up to three days, with death occurring shortly a er.
Since the rst discovery in 2019 within wild populations other cases have been con rmed across Ireland.
While testing for diseases that can impact domestic animals is carried out (and many can cross-over to impact wild species), Ireland has no systematic disease surveillance in place for wildlife. e monitoring of diseases in wildlife relies on passive surveillance where suspected cases of disease are submitted to regional veterinary laboratories for testing. In the case of RHDV 1/2 the disease was only con rmed from samples submitted for testing by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
As it is not a noti able disease, there are no measures in place to control RHDV 1/2 in either wild or domestic rabbits. e presence of the disease is typically only found a er the examination of a rabbit (or hare) exhibiting sudden death. Domestic rabbits with RHDV 1/2 are given treatment for the symptoms where possible, and a vaccine is available.
ere have been reports of resistance to RHDV, along with the recovery of populations a ected by it. However, these reports are anecdotal and no surveys or scienti c data appear to have been completed to support the facts.
e situation in the UK is similar, though the rate of population decline is higher. It is normal for rabbit and hare populations to vary seasonally but overall populations are declining. is cannot be attributed only to the RHD or myxomatosis virus (another disease
that a ects rabbits and may have possibly jumped onto hares). e decline is also thought to be due to habitat loss and changes in land use. e di culty in tracking rabbit numbers due to the seasonal variance and multiple other causes of decline make monitoring the impact of diseases di cult.
While the rabbit is not a native species to Irelnad, it is a naturalized species having been introduced in the 12th century. It plays an important role within the food chain as a prey animal, and their loss is likely to have negative implications higher up the food chain.
European Brown Hare Syndrome Virus (EBHSV) is a disease in the same group as RHD, and causes a similar disease in hares. First reported in Sweden in 1980, it has since been reported from other European countries. Most recently it has been found in European Hares in Spain. Both diseases pose a threat to our wild rabbit and hare populations.
Systematic surveying of wildlife for such diseases is di cult to perform and is not currently being carried out in Ireland. is highlights the reliance on and importance of passive surveillance, which is where dead or sick wildlife are reported for further investigation. To the best of my knowledge, there is no de nition for mass mortality of wildlife in use in Ireland. In the UK, the Wildlife Expert Group of the Animal & Plant Health Agency de nes mass mortality as 2 or more dead animals together. Without systematic surveying in place, we should be extra vigilant and report any concerns regarding the health of wildlife to either the National Parks and Wildlife Service or regional veterinary o ces.
References
Byrne, A. W., Marnell, F., Barrett, D., Reid, N., Hanna, R. E. B., McElroy, M. C., & Casey, M. (2022). Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2; GI.2) in Ireland Focusing on Wild Irish Hares (Lepus timidus hibernicus): An Overview of the First Outbreaks and Contextual Review. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland), 11(3), 288. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11030288 Almeida, T., Lopes, A.M., Estruch, J. et al. A new HaCV-EBHSV recombinant lagovirus circulating in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) from Catalonia, Spain. Sci Rep 14, 2872 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53201-1 https://www.woah.org/ leadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/3.07.02_RHD.pdf
European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is found throughout Ireland. Photo: iStockphoto
Dancing with the Dunlin
"SUSAN IS AN IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST MEMBER. SHE HAS SHARED THIS POEM INSPIRED BY THE IRISH COASTLINE"
By SUSAN HITCHING
I dance among ocks of little crabblers with their black-beaks-bobbing...
and digging sands as if persistently stitching.
I feel them, plumped against the wildest winds...
these u ed-feathered cupplings mirrored within a cloud...
and feel the breath, of their beetling-legs a-blurry...
tormenting the tide-line... a parody of ... catch me if you can.
And I am startled... by a sudden rush... as if the shore is peeling...
the plovers rise on li ed wings... like the sound of uttering pages.
e sky is a torment of ascending peeps and trills and
a collective agitation is bleeding into the blue and...
pouring... as if a liquid breeze is spilling shapes like a release of bees.
is dunlin murmuration is sun-lit caught, is white-lit on the turning...
and glimmering like a thousand hand-mirrors.... ... cascading...
...for now they are shoaling a thousand silver herring in synchronised ying....
tickling over rock and riding their own watery re ection.
Fly little dappled dunlins y... you sandy pipers, wintery waders...
you are a swirling elation ....a blizzard-of-bird billowing...
against this sea-drop back-drop.....
...as your piping cry fades into sea-sound...
I watch your white wings su use ... In the grey.
1. F ox by Samantha O'Connor
2. P ale tussock moth by Pat Wyse
3. Bullf inch by Andrew Poynton
4. Or ange pore fungus by Miriam Mortell
5. Marmalade Ho verfly by Mary McCallister
6. C ommon Blue Butterfly by Marcus Maher
COMPETITION
For this season’s members only competition you have a chance to win a copy of Swimming Upstream or one of our organic IWT t-shirts! We have 2 copies of the book to give away.
Swimming Upstream
One man’s fight to save the Atlantic wild salmon
By Patsy Peril and Deirdre Nuttall
Once, the River Shannon was teeming with wild salmon swimming upstream. But when the enormous hydro-electric station at Ardnacrusha was built in 1929, what began as the Free State’s crowning achievement would have a devastating impact on the environment.
In this evocative and thought-provoking memoir, Patsy Peril recalls a life deeply entwined with Irish wildlife and embedded in the history of modern Ireland. From a childhood spent on the water to a national conservation campaign, Patsy has a lifetime of knowledge to share about the wild Atlantic salmon – and a plan to save it.
To win one of these great prizes just answer this questionIn which country was the Convention on Biological Diversity COP 16 hosted
Entry instructions
This is an IWT members only competition. Send your answer, name, address and prize preference (the book OR a t-shirt) to magazinecomp@iwt.ie by 31st January 2025.
If you choose the t-shirt, tell us the size, colour and design preference. You can view our t-shirt selection on https://iwtclothing.com/
Competition / Activity
