A total of 500 Natterjack toadlets have been released into the sand dunes at Inch peninsula in Dingle, Co Kerry by Minister for Nature and Heritage Malcolm Noonan.
The release is part of a National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) nature conservation project in collaboration with Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium – Mara Beo.
It aims to halt the decline of this endangered species, which is unique to the coastal areas of Castlemaine harbour and Castlegregory in Co Kerry.
Noonan noted that the release has become “an annual event for nature lovers in the Kingdom, and is such a great example of science and the local community working together to halt the decline of this iconic species, unique to Castlemaine and Castlegregory”.
The Project aims to halt the decline of the endangered Natterjack toad species unique to the coastal areas of Castlemaine Harbour and Castlegregory Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan
“This is also the first time for our precious toadlets to be released into Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí, Ireland’s newest national park. All of us hope that the Páirc, with its spectacular sand dunes here at Inch is a place where they can continue to breed and thrive,”he said.
Natterjacks are particularly vulnerable to predators and also depend on shallow ponds for their survival at an early stage of their development. The mortality of natterjack spawn and tadpoles in the wild can be greater than 90%, according to the NPWS.
NPWS says it has been working with Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium over the past seven years to explore if captive rearing can be used to boost the natterjack population at Inch.
“Every year NPWS staff collect toad spawn and/or tadpoles from Inch in April and May and bring them to Oceanworld where they are reared in special holding tanks until they reach metamorphosis. In July and August they are released back into the wild by NPWS staff,”it says.
500 Natterjack Toadlets have been released into Ireland’s eighth national park, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí in the sand dunes at Inch Peninsula, on Tuesday by Minister for Nature, Heritage, and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan, left, Greg Reidy, Conservation Ranger, NPWS, Dr Ferdia Marnell, NPWS, left and Niall O’Donnchú, Director General of NPWS. Photo: Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan
The captive rearing programme at Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium has reduced the mortality rate of this endangered species to less than 25%, it says.
A total of 2,500 toadlets have been released back into Inch this year, including those released on Tuesday, July 25th.
The sand dune system at Inch is one of the largest and finest in Europe, and has long been recognised as one of the most important breeding sites in the country for Natterjack toads.
It is designated under Castlemaine Harbour Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area, and is surrounded by the Castlemaine Harbour Nature Reserve, the NPWS says.
Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium manager Máire Ó Shea said her team was “excited to contribute to the preservation of the Natterjack toad, recognising the crucial role this amphibian plays in maintaining ecological balance”.
“Together with NPWS, we can make a significant impact on the future of the Natterjack toad and other threatened wildlife,”she said.
