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Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan, releasing Natterjack toadlets back to the Kingdom with Dr Ferdia Marnell, NPWS. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
TWO hundred natterjack toadlets were released today on a farm in Castlegregory.
The toadlets have been bred through a joint conservation project between the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Fota Wildlife Park which aims to protect this endangered species and work with the local farming community to return it to its natural habitat.
Over 9,000 toadlets have been released since the project began seven years ago. Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan visited Castlegregory to watch the release.
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“It’s wonderful to see the support and enthusiasm among the local community for the Natterjack toad,” said Minister Noonan.
Tiny Toads…Natterjack toadlets welcomed home to the Kingdom. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
“The habitat here in Castlegregory is unique and the efforts of local farmers to enhance it by creating ponds will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the fortunes of these beloved amphibians. The farmers will see benefits too through a new results-based scheme designed specifically to support these measures. I’d like to congratulate the conservation teams in the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Fota Wildlife Park, as well as the amazing community here in Kerry that is so committed to the conservation of the habitats and species that also call the Kingdom home.”
Originally native to the areas of Castlemaine Harbour and Castlegregory, the natterjack population declined over time due to land reclamation and as agricultural practices changed.
Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan, releasing Natterjack toadlets back to the Kingdom. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
The natterjack is vulnerable to a high mortality rate of 90% in the wild. The toads need access to shallow, sunny ponds to breed and avoid predators.
Conservation efforts to date have focused on the toad’s natural habitat so that the species can breed and thrive.
This year’s toadlets were released on a local farm in Castlegregory, into ponds which were created just ten years ago especially for natterjacks through the NPWS Pond Creation scheme. Farmers can also now avail of new, results based farm plan scheme specifically for natterjack toads.
This conservation project involves NPWS staff collecting spawn and eggs from ponds, which are brought to Fota Wildlife Park where they are cared for and reared in special holding tanks. This approach, known as captive rearing has been shown to reduce their mortality rate to as low as 25%.
Following metamorphosis, the toadlets are returned to their native Kerry. Today’s release brings the number of toadlets released in Co. Kerry this year to 1,600.
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