Pix from Inistioge

Thanks to Denis for giving us a flavour of the walk in Inistioge.

The branch outing on Sunday November 21st was to Inistioge. Denis Cullen led a walk along the start of the South Leinster way, then through Woodstock Woods and garden. Over 30 walkers enjoyed views of the Nore in spate, trees still with beautiful autumn colour and very attractive notice boards erected by Insitioge Tidy Towns group, illustrating the wildlife and plants of the area. These include otters, kingfisher and autumn crocus - a protected species.

Next outing is the otter survey in Waterford City on December 8th. Watch this space for details.
The NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Service) are one of the bodies involved in surveying mammals  along with the National Biodiversity Data Centre based in Carrickanore. You can also click here for details on initiatives from the Heritage Council.
The new project that focuses on otters is part of the Mammals in a Sustainable Environment project. They have a Facebook page.

Badger the Minister

Press Release

7th November, 2011

‘BADGER THE MINISTER’ - The Irish Wildlife Trust calls for an end to badger culling in Ireland

In these difficult times did you know that your taxes are being used to pay 75 government staff to snare and kill badgers in Ireland?

The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is opposed to badger culling and the use of snares as a badger control. Not only is it barbaric and unethical, recent findings have shown it to be ineffective in the war on bovine TB. Badgers can die over extended periods struggling in these hideous devices while their young starve underground. Nobody has ever counted badgers accurately in this country.  While it has always been assumed that they are common animals, this can no longer be taken for granted.

·      115,000 badgers have been killed by the Irish Government since 1984₁

·      6,000 snares are set in Ireland every night₂

·      €70 million of citizens money has been allocated to disease eradication programme this year alone₃

·      Badgers are protected by Irish and European law

The IWT wants this practice to stop immediately. It is cruel, wasteful and damages Ireland’s reputation for its ‘green island economy’. The IWT recognise that bovine TB is a major problem for Irish farmers but it also must be recognised that culling does not work. Resources should be focused on a national vaccination programme. Faulty science and politically driven motives should not be used as excuses for slaughtering our wildlife.

Help the Irish Wildlife Trust ‘Badger’ Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney to stop this dreadful practice by signing this online petition at: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-irish-wildlife-trust-iwtie

You can learn more about badgers in Ireland and the impact of culling on www.iwt.ie. You can also donate to our campaign and be in with a chance to win a specially commissioned oil portrait of a badger family by Ireland’s top wildlife artist Morgan Gibbs.

If you’d like more information about this topic, please call Conn Flynn at (01)8602839 / 0878142343 or email  Conn at conservation.iwt.ie

_1. http://www.agriculture.gov.ie

_2. Coughlan, M., Written Answers. Debates of the Houses of the Oireachtas, 2007. 632(4).

_3.http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/diseasecontrols/tuberculosistbandbrucellosis/diseaseeradicationpolicy/2011TBProgramme130111.pdf

Autumn edition of Magazine

The August edition of Irish Wildlife is full of interesting articles as always. The update from Joanne Pender on wetlands is timely. The article by Mark McDowell is of particular interest to all those who have fought for retention of hedgerows: Green veins of Ireland. Anarchy in the UK is not an article about the British political system but on Badgers. For anyone who has taken a trip over to Inishbofin, there are some thoughts from Gordon Darcy.
http://iwt.ie/2011/09/irish-wildlife-autumn-2011/