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Wildlife only found in Ireland ?

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  • 21-02-2011 6:28pm
    #1
    PatsytheNazi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭


    For example I always thought the Irish Elk was exclusively Irish but appearently it's not. I'm not as well up on nature as I'm sure most of the rest of you are but still just wondering, is there or was their ever any type of wildlife only found in Ireland ?


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    #2
    Seasoft
    Registered Users Posts: 264 ✭✭Seasoft


    Being so near Britain and mainland Europe, Ireland has not been isolated enough to have endemic species develop here. As all our wildlife has only colonised the island since the Ice Age ended, in natural terms only a short time ago, this is not surprising.

    That said, a number of species have developed traits specific to Ireland, so we have endemic sub-species of some birds and mammals. I'm sure others who post here can give you a broad list of examples, but one that comes to mind is the Coal Tit. See www.birdsireland.com/pages/site_pages/features/coal_tit.html. As you'll see there are Irish subspecies of Dipper and Jay also.

    I'll research a bit for you, and will post other examples, though I'm sure others will have posts before I'm ready.


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    #3
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Irish Hare and Stoat are both unique sub-species


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    #4
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Also at least a couple of moths that are unique sub-species
    Bordered Gothic spp. hibernica
    Sandhill Rustic ssp. knilli


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    #5
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    There's the Aran Bee, Bombus muscorum var. allenellus, found only on the Aran islands.


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    #6
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    could be totally wrong on this but wasnt there some sort or mole or vole found in the north munster region that was rare or something??

    there was a road or some development project halted over it.


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    #7
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    Isn't there the Durrow freshwater mussel?


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    #8
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    trebor28 wrote: »
    could be totally wrong on this but wasnt there some sort or mole or vole found in the north munster region that was rare or something??

    there was a road or some development project halted over it.

    I think you may be thinking of the greater White Toothed Shrew. It's new find for Ireland but far from a species unique to Ireland.


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    #9
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    Rey Wailing Gate wrote: »
    I think you may be thinking of the greater White Toothed Shrew. It's new find for Ireland but far from a species unique to Ireland.

    the shrew! i knew it was something like that, google wasnt showing up anything for vole/mole/mouse etc.

    think i have actually seen a few of these guys around.

    didnt know at the time they were rare!


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