Some of the flora and fauna we risk losing forever
ACCORDING to the National Biodiversity Data Centre, the following species are some of the most at risk of extinction in Ireland today:
CURLEW
The population of the bird has seen an astounding decline of 97% in the past two decades, with the number of breeding pairs dropping from around 5,000 in the 1980s to as little as 130 today. They usually nest in boglands or rushy areas, but land improvement works on these environments have contributed to their decreasing population.
ATLANTIC SALMON
Pollution, overfishing and ocean warming are among the reasons that stocks of this wild fish have declined by 60% over 40 years. Although conservation measures have been implemented in Ireland and the North Atlantic region, the Atlantic salmon is still facing a high risk of extinction.
EUROPEAN EEL
European eel spawn in the Atlantic Ocean before migrating to rivers and lakes across Ireland, and usually remain in the river network for decades before returning to the ocean. The number in Irish waters has declined by over 93% since the 1980s, and they are now considered to be critically endangered.
GREAT YELLOW BUMBLEBEE
We’re used to seeing the bumblebee during the summer months, but it’s likely that the days of the great yellow bumblebee are limited on our shores. While they used to be widespread across Ireland, only a few known populations now remain, mainly on the west coast, with the most thriving area being on the Mullet Peninsula in Co. Mayo.
ALPINE SAXIFRAGE
The plant is at an extremely high risk of disappearing from Ireland, as they are only known to be found on one site in the country, on limestone cliffs in Co. Sligo.
TWITE
This small bird used to breed all around the coast of Ireland, but is now confined to peatlands in Donegal and Mayo. It’s believed that only 100 pairs currently remain, meaning that their future in Ireland is uncertain.
THRIFT CLEARWING
Before 1970, the moth was familiar to coastal sites travelling southwards from Dublin to Clare. However, it’s now being assessed as critically endangered as since 2000, it has only been seen on two sites in West Cork.
WHITE SKATE
The white skate is usually spotted in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and southwest Indian Ocean, and used to be common along the west coast of Ireland. However, in recent years the only sightings of the animal have been in the Tralee and Galway bays.
FRESHWATER PEARL MUSSEL
The freshwater pearl mussel is one of Ireland’s longestliving animals, as they live on average for at least 100 years, but they may not be in Irish waters for much longer. As they are very sensitive to pollution, very few are reaching maturity, resulting in a fall of 90% in its population across Europe.
WALL
One of six types of butterflies that are facing extinction in Ireland, the wall has seen its population halve in the past 20 years. It’s accustomed to dry, open habitats and is most commonly found on inland sites.