2013 National Newt Survey needs your help!
Calling all wildlife enthusiasts! The Irish Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce that our smooth newt survey will be running again in 2013 and we are calling on people to once again get out and search their local pond for newts! The smooth newt is one of our few native amphibian species and this survey aims to increase our knowledge of the distribution of the species, but also make Irish people more familiar with this little ‘water dragon’. This is a great opportunity for people to get involved in an important monitoring scheme and to get to learn about these fascinating animals and their ecology.
This year we will be focussing our efforts in counties where we currently have few or no records, including counties Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway, Meath, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Offaly and Kerry. Training days will be taking place in these counties during March / early April with dates and venues to be confirmed shortly. If you would like to attend a training day, you must register with us. Members of the Irish Wildlife Trust can attend the workshop for free. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.
We also welcome records of newts from anywhere in Ireland so if you have seen a newt or know of a pond where they breed please let us know. To register as a surveyor in one of the targeted counties or for more information contact Seán Meehan at newts@iwt.ie or on 087 9207583, or check out our website www.iwt.ie
This project is funded by Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park.
