Celebrate Ireland’s only Native Frog Species on World Frog Day 2020

Screen shot 2019-12-17 at 15.32.49Press Release

13th March 2020

Celebrate Ireland’s only Native Frog Species on World Frog Day 2020

On the 20th of March 2020 celebrate World Frog Day with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) by becoming a citizen scientist and submitting your frog sightings to the IPCC’s All Ireland Hop To It Frog Survey.  The common frog is a protected species of Amphibian in Ireland, although the populations in Ireland are considered favourable throughout Europe populations are under pressure as 90% of  Western Europe’s wetlands have been lost in the last century.  World Frog Day is a day to celebrate and mark the importance of all species of frogs as biological indicators of our environmental quality, as a valuable species within the food chain and as natural predators.  IPCC celebrate this day in partnership with Kildare County Council as part of Féile an Dúlra, IPCC’s annual Festival of Nature.

Threats such as climate change, pollution, disease, land reclamation, habitat destruction and drainage, invasive species and over-harvesting are having catastrophic effects on the frog populations globally. Up to 200 species of frogs have become extinct or have disappeared since 1980. 50% of Irish Amphibians wetland habitats have been lost as a result of drainage for industrial peat extraction.

Working together we have the ability to protect these animals and their habitats. We ARE their voice. 

This Frog Day, why not visit your local bog or wetland habitat to see these incredible animals. You can help by recording frogs in your locality. Become a citizen scientist and take part in IPCC’s Hop To It Frog Survey.  Get involved by submiitng your sightings at www.ipcc.ie.  

Tristram Whyte, IPCC’s Conservation and Policy Officer said “Not only are frogs important as indicators of the quality of a wetland habitat, they are also a gardeners friend providing a free pest removal service”.  While Paula Farrell, IPCC’s Campaign Officer continued by saying “ Invisible man who? Frogs are the masters of disguise. A skill people only wish they had. If I find a frog out on field work I get a little excited. They fascinate me and I feel that we must try our best to protect them”.

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