Fox could wipe out little terns
NIALL Hatch of Birdwatch
Ireland has said that while wardens will shoot foxes to protect the little tern colony in Kilcoole, this is as an absolute last resort. ‘I can’t stress how reluctant we are to ever kill a fox,’ he said.
Mr Hatch was responding to concerns raised locally regarding the management of foxes at the site, which is there for the protection of the endangered species of bird. The numbers are tiny and the bird is very much close to extinction. He said that the largest little tern colony in the country is located at Kilcoole beach. While it is managed by Birdwatch Ireland, that is under the authority of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
He said that the species is under threat from predators of all types, including human beings. ‘ The eggs and chicks are very highly camouflaged, they look like stones,’ said Mr Hatch.
The colony moves a bit each year. They are protected by a portable fence which can be rebuilt.
‘Occasionally foxes do get in, or chicks wander out,’ said Niall. ‘ That poses a risk. The National Parks and Wildlife Service mandated that there has to be fox control.’
The majority of that is non-lethal, with a lights system installed to scare foxes away. Wardens also patrol the beaches and have spotlights to scare them away.
‘One fox could wipe out an entire colony and make the little tern extinct,’ said Niall. ‘Most colonies have disappeared, so drastic measures are needed.’ The little tern was once very common in Ireland but human activity has led to it reaching such small numbers.
‘Having to kill a fox is not something we would derive pleasure from,’ said Niall. ‘It’s a terrible thing to have to do, but it’s the only way to save the species. We hope dearly that it would not happen, but sometimes it’s a necessary conservation tool. It’s also required by the NPWS.’
Niall addressed a claim that someone reported Birdwatch Ireland shooting starlings some years ago. ‘If someone doing that said they were from Birdwatch Ireland, then they were lying,’ he said. ‘We have never killed a starling and we never would. It would in fact be a criminal act.’ He said that the starling is not a predator to the little tern.
Hedgehogs, however, are, as they will eat the eggs. ‘On one occasion a few years ago a single hedgehog nearly wiped them out.’ It was early enough that the adults were able to lay more eggs. ‘Hedgehogs are easy to catch, they can be picked up and relocated, so have never been harmed.’ The practice of shooting foxes has been under way at the site for several decades, but has happened less frequently as Birdwatch Ireland introduce other measures to deter the predators.
‘If there were no wardens and no fences there would be no terns,’ said Niall.
Kilcoole is the largest colony in the country, with around 120 pairs of the birds. ‘It’s the only substantial colony in the country,’ said Niall. There is another in Louth with fluctuating numbers, sometimes several dozen, sometimes none, and occasionally up to 100. Other areas will see just a couple of pairs.
RESIDENTS of Enniskerry and public representatives have expressed vehement opposition to plans for a development of 219 residential units at Kilgarron Hill.
‘If this development goes ahead, it will destroy the natural heritage character of Enniskerry village and result in reputational damage to County Wicklow as the Garden of Ireland,’ said residents in a statement.
The proposal consists of 135 houses, 84 apartments and a childcare facility.
A similar application for the same site has previously been refused, on the grounds that there were environmental concerns surrounding Knocksink Woods.
Members of Bray Municipal District heard last week that An Bord Pleanála had informed developers that their original plans for under 200 units were too low-density. Members were also told that the board does not consider it a material contravention of the Local Development Plan to have density higher than allowed in the plan.
Residents of Enniskerry said that in their view the development will irrevocably alter the intricate groundwater systems that feed the petrifying springs which are very sensitive to any disturbances in the land.
They are also concerned that Knocksink Wood, a Special Area of Conservation, would be vulnerable to habitat and biodiversity loss from human activities, that there could be potential flooding, and that a precedent would be set for further large scale developments.
They say that the development will ‘inevitably lead to infrastructural problems for the locality as we do not have the roads, lighting, paths, water and waste systems in place to handle a development of this size.’
The application is for a strategic housing development, meaning that the decision will be made by An Bord Pleanála rather than Wicklow County Council. However, the chief executive of Wicklow County Council will make a report to the board.
The views of members of Bray Municipal District will be included in that report. They include a request for a full environmental assessment, the view that the roads will not be able to cope with the increased traffic, and that the density of the development is too high.
In their current application, the applicant Capami Limited addresses reasons for the previous refusal. They said that they have a hydro-geological report and other reports which shows the development will not interfere with the eastern spring cluster in Knocksink Wood.
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