What’s in your pond?

The emergence of spring is now well advanced and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is encouraging everyone to help CEDaR (Centre for Environmental Data Recording) identify areas where frogs and newts are to be found.

By taking part in “What’s In Your Pond?” you will help CEDaR begin to understand what, if anything, is happening to these slippery characters.

Almost a third of known amphibians are declining or are extinct. This is due to a combination of habitat loss, disease, pollution and climate change.  In Northern Ireland, we don’t know what impact, if any, these issues have had. We know the number of ponds available for frogs and newts has fallen. Yet, we don’t know what effect this has had on frog and newt populations.

So by taking part in this vital survey of ponds, ditches and streams, you can help build a better picture of our local wildlife. Click here for more information, including the survey forms and amphibian identification sheets, as well as where to submit your information.

Frogs and newts are local priorities in the Fermanagh and Omagh Local Biodiversity Action Plan which outlines a plan of action to;

• Help conserve and enhance local habitats and species
• Raise awareness and knowledge of local biodiversity
• Involve local people and develop partnerships in the delivery of the Fermanagh and Omagh Local Biodiversity Action Plan

As well as frogs and newts, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council are keen to receive records of any rare and wonderful wildlife you may spot at home or out and about or you may have already heard the first cuckoo call of spring.  Sightings of red squirrels, curlew, marsh fritillary and orchids, among others, are vital to help protect the habitats this biodiversity relies on.

For more information on species recording and the Fermanagh and Omagh Local Biodiversity Action Plan, contact the Biodiversity Officer at 03003031777 or email Julie.corry@fermanaghomagh.com.