National Frog Survey of Ireland 2010/11

 

Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust
Project code  QU10-04 
Project Manager  Dr. Neil Reid 
Sub-contractor(s) Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust
  Dr. Karina Dingerkus & Dr. Richard Stone
Client NPWS
Client Officer Dr. Ferdia Marnell
Start date 01/03/2010
End date 30/11/2011

A detailed survey is underway throughout Ireland and help is needed from members of the public to report frogs and frogspawn this spring. If you just have a garden pond or are a school with a wildlife garden you could contribute useful scientific data.

  
CLICK HERE TO HELP
 

The National Frog Survey of Ireland 2010/11 is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and is being conducted in collaboration with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation using Giorria Environmental Services in Co. Mayo. It aims to gather information about frog distribution, habitat use and estimate total numbers.

Despite being relatively common, there is growing concern about the status of frog populations, which have underwent recent declines. Frogs are easily recognisable and are distributed throughout the island in almost any wet habitat. However, historical loss of farmland ponds, conversion of bogs, marshes and wet flushes to productive agricultural land and field drainage are putting these hardy amphibians under increasing pressure. Frogs are protected under the Irish Wildlife Acts (1976 & 2000) and is also listed on Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive. Frogs provide a useful service to farmers and gardeners by eating pests such as slugs and snails. Ponds and gardens are thought to be important refuges for the species.

Despite being widespread throughout Ireland, the frog was deemed to be in poor conservation status in the most recent Article 17 report.

If you see frogspawn in your local area in the coming months go to www.arc-trust.org/loscan and fill in the survey form giving details such as the date and location. This will help add to a database of frog records and may fill in missing areas on the distribution map.

The results will help Government assess conservation priorities and will make sure that our familiar frogs remain a common sight.

This project was won under competitive tender and is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the Republic of Ireland.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the Republic of Ireland.